


When Fire Meets Fate

by SandyRook77



Series: When Fire Meets Fate [1]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/F, Gods, Lifemates - Freeform, Magecraft/Magic, Mages, Nymphomania, Other, PTSD, Pagan Gods, Post-Apocalyptic, Threesomes, Trigedasleng, Werewolves, bondmates, fivesomes, multiple sex partners
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-06-22 08:28:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 65
Words: 313,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15577848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SandyRook77/pseuds/SandyRook77
Summary: Slow burn for Clexa fansHave you ever really thought about how much a single day could change your life?For Lexa, leader of the werewolf Forest Pack, that day was when people suddenly appeared as if by magic in the middle of her territory.For Clarke, it was the day that she stepped out of an underground bunker after living there her entire life.For Nyx, it was the day that her past came back to drag her home and a mysterious blonde woman she met at a bar.Now, the three of them are in for a world of change when Mother Earth has decided that their lives will forever be entwined and the fate of their peoples lies on their shoulders.In a post-Apocalyptic world where wereanimals, mages, and gods exist, they must overcome the past in order to protect the future. Can they find the strength in themselves and in one another to make sure that there is a future?





	1. Nyx

**Author's Note:**

> Just an FYI, the title does come from the themesong for the tv show Shadowhunters. Fire Meets Fate by Ruelle.
> 
> Lyrics are from Family Tree by Black Stone Cherry  
> New Kinda Feelin’ by Black Stone Cherry  
> Both can be found on their album, Family Tree

It was a Friday night and instead of being in my favorite bar throwing down shots of whiskey, I was on a rooftop looking through a rifle scope and watching my target across the street. I sighed as I adjusted the rifle slightly to compensate for the slight breeze that had begun to blow. I’d been hired by the Commander of the Old Towne Garrison to help bring in a bail jumper, who happened to be a werebear that murdered four Garrison members in an armed robbery attempt. The Garrison had lost him during transport and then had disappeared from their radar. That was why I was here, on a Friday night, sitting on a rooftop, and feeling completely bored.

I picked up the radio and said, “Target in sight. No sign of others. Orders?”

The radio crackled and then the Commanding Officer’s voice broke through, “It’s a go for takedown.”

“Are we positive on the weight?”

“348 pounds was recorded at the time of arrest. Can you handle it?”

“If I couldn’t, I wouldn’t be here.”

“Just do your damn job, Enforcer.”

“Aye, aye, Captain,” I said sarcastically.

With a groan of frustration, I sighted along the scope and as I was about to pull the trigger, my earpiece came to life.

“Hey boss,” my partner, Ben, spoke.

“Hold,” I replied and looking once more, pulled the trigger.

I watched the heavily dosed tranq go through the window and pierce the neck of the werebear. He slapped his hand over the spot and pulling the tranq from his neck, looked at it and then through the window. There was a snarl and he took a few steps and crumbled. Unconscious. My job was done.

Picking up the radio again, “Target is down. Go for extraction.”

“About time,” the man said. “Payment will be done as usual.”

“Nice doing business with y’all.”

I turned off the radio and began packing up.

“Alright, Ben,” I said, “what’s so damn important that you felt the need to break radio silence?”

“You need to come back to the office immediately,” he replied. I picked up a touch of fear in his voice and frowned. Not much scared the man.

“Job’s done. I’ll be there in fifteen.”

“Copy that.”

A tinge of worry crept up in my chest as I finished packing up and headed down from the roof. Reaching the ground, I swung the rifle pack over my shoulder, and walked quickly to my bike. The bike was my baby, a dirt bike that had survived the nuclear blast that had wiped through the earth over 83 years ago. I had customized it with every piece of bike scrap I had come across. It had a modified 449cc motor, with armor plating and casings for my weapons, and its top speed on open road was 130 mph. It was a breathtaking, beautiful beast of a machine. I smiled as I got on it and turned on the ignition.

I zipped through and around the streets and crumbling buildings on my way to my office that was situated on the outskirts of town. My office was a derelict brownstone in a neighborhood where there were only five remaining buildings. Mine was the furthest away from the other buildings. I pulled around back and unlocked the warded garage. Besides my bike, the garage contained Ben’s customized, big wheeled, buggy, my everyday rally that sat two, and an armored 4x4 transport that served as our mobile base.

I parked my bike and left the garage, locking the ward down. It was necessary in these times. There were too many thieves and rogues running around that the Garrison couldn’t maintain control over. 

I walked in through the back door and headed straight to the kitchen. I took off the rifle pack and placed it on the table. Grabbing a beer out of the fridge, I opened the door that led to the basement, our office. I walked a quarter of the way when I was greeted with the scent of a werewolf. I stopped and inhaled deeply and growled low in my throat when I recognized the scent. 

_What the hell was he doing here? ___

I took a deep breath to calm myself down and continued down the steps. Turning a corner, I saw Ben sitting in front of a line of monitors trying not to draw attention to himself.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, Gustus,” I said, making Ben jump.

“Nice to know you haven’t forgotten your friends,” Gustus spoke as he moved out of the shadows.

“I wouldn’t exactly call us friends. You tried to fucking kill me against her wishes,” I answered looking at him coldly. “Why are you here, Gustus?”

He chuckled low in his throat and I bristled in anger, “Ah, Nyx, never the one for small talk. Since you’ve asked all nicely, Lexa wants you home.”

“I have no home remember,” I said bitterly. “I was banished eight years ago. I’ve followed the rules. I haven’t stepped near the border in all this time. Why would she want me back in Clifton?”

“I was only sent to locate and bring you in.”

I scoffed, “Bring me in? Who the hell do you think you are, Gustus? You come here acting all bad ass and menacing, expecting me to just comply. To submit.”

He walked up close to me and tried to show me he was the more dominate of the two of us, but it didn’t work. There was no one more dominate than me and he knew it.

“You were her Second, Nyx. You got greedy and wanted her power. You killed everyone there,” he said.

I growled low, “Get it through your head, Gustus. I never wanted to take over the pack. I was quite happy being Second.”

“The facts don’t lie.”

“Those facts did.”

“Hmph,” he said turning and walking away from me. “The past is irrelevant, Nyx. There is a much more pressing matter than you.”

“And that is what, exactly?”

He looked at Ben, who shrank into his chair, and replied, “It’s best if we discuss this in private.”

“Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of my partner. There’s no one for him to tell.”

Gustus snapped his gaze to me, eyes flaring bright green for a moment, and then nodded.

“Very well,” he said as if he was doing me a favor. “There has been some unauthorized activity in the Manassas region recently.”

“So?”

“We’ve sent teams to investigate, but none have returned.”

This news peaked my interest and I asked, “How many?”

“Five.”

I blanched. Twenty pack members just disappeared. That couldn’t be right.

“Disappeared or killed?”

“We don’t know. That’s why Lexa wants you home. You’ve built a solid reputation here and in the surrounding areas. You’re considered the best among the best. You’ve been able to track, locate, apprehend or kill your targets without causing a disruption in the everyday lives of the population.”

“So, Lexa just wants my skills. Even if I do agree to this, I have a kill order on me. If I take one foot past the border, I’m dead.”

“The kill order has been temporarily lifted on Lexa’s orders.”

“I’m sure Titus just loved that,” I said sarcastically.

“It does not matter what Titus likes or dislikes. Like all pack members, he follows her without question.”

“What’s in this for me,” I asked as I leaned against my desk. “I don’t do pro bono work.”

“Lexa is willing to pay you based on the difficulty of your task. She has made available any and every resource that is available to the pack. She is giving you free reign over the entirety of our lands.”

“That’s not enough, Gustus. If whatever is out in Manassas has already made 20 members disappear from the face of the Earth, we are talking extreme danger. I’d be putting my very life on the line.”

He looked down at his hands that had become fisted when I refused the terms. When he looked back up at me, there was a flash of rage in his eyes, but he quickly schooled his features to one of indifference.

“I had hoped that your greed would be enough to compel you, but I can see that is not enough. Lexa informed me that may not be enough, but I did not believe her,” he said through gritted teeth. “She is willing to lift your banishment and the kill order permanently and bring you back into the pack. Past forgotten, slate wiped clean.”

“I know that you wouldn’t willing give me back my position, so what would I get to do?”

“That is up to her and the rest of the Council to decide where you would be placed if you succeed.”

I looked at him and inhaled deeply. Whatever was happening, I could smell the fear and worry coming from him in small waves.

“Why me? There are other freelance Enforcers out there that would die to take on this job and would’ve agreed at the mention of a large sum of money.”

“Because, she only trusts you to be able to find the answers and give it to her truthfully, regardless of what Titus and I think.”

“And what is it that you think?”

“That I didn’t make sure you were dead when I threw you over the border,” he said with deadliness coating his voice. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter what I think. Your unique skills and powers far outshine those of your competitors. She wants that.”

I looked over at Ben who was subtly shaking his head, telling me not to take the offer. I stood there thinking hard. Was it worth it? Was I willing to go back to the pack and follow her rules? Was it worth seeing her again? Was it worth facing the memories and the heartbreak? Could I stand by knowing that twenty pack members had disappeared without a trace?

Coming to a decision, I asked Ben, “How many cases do I currently have on the docket?”

He looked resigned and pulled up the case files on the computer. 

Looking at the list he said, “You have 20 open cases. 15 of them you can easily give over to the other freelancers. The other 5 will only deal with you, personally. Of those five, you have two that must be done immediately and one of them is with the Coalition.”

“Thank you,” I replied and turned to Gustus. “I need two weeks to coordinate and get the two jobs done.”

“Lexa will be displeased.”

“I don’t care if she is ‘displeased.’ I have a job, I have bills to pay, and I have a responsibility to my clients. I’m not just going to stop and let these people down, Gustus. If she wants me that bad, she will have to wait two weeks. As long as you don’t send any more teams to Manassas, the pack will be safe. My only recommendation is to set up long range reconnaissance to keep an eye on the situation. I don’t know why you didn’t do that in the first place before sending in teams. It’s sloppy, Gustus.”

He bristled at my comments and growled, “You would be wise not to push this, Nyx.”

I got up in his face, nearly nose to nose, and with a deadly calm, “Go ahead and try, Gustus, but Lexa will lose her Second and there would be nobody to help her.”

“Nyx, hand,” Ben said, calling my attention.

I looked down and my hand was covered in blue fire, the hottest flame I could produce. Gustus looked down as well and backed down quickly. Sometimes it paid to be a werewolf and a fire mage.

With a loud deep breath, Gustus said, “I will tell her you will be arriving in two weeks.”

The flame extinguished, and I nodded, “Two weeks. If I finish early, I will come early.”

“If that is the case,” he said, producing a card, “Call this number and arrangements will be made.”

I took the card and mocked saluted him, “Then I suggest you leave my home. Quickly.”

He took the hint and without a backwards glance, left. When I heard the door click and could no longer smell him, the tension released, and I sat behind my desk, exhausted.

“I really don’t think it’s a good idea to get involved with your old pack, Nyx,” Ben said as he took a chair across from me.

“I don’t think it’s a good one either,” I replied, looking at him.

“Then why do it? They threw you out with a freaking kill order. You have no responsibility to them.”

I leaned back in my chair and replied, “I can’t just ignore the fact that 20 pack members have up and disappeared. That never happens. If there’s death, the other teams would have reported it and Lexa would have attacked the area in full force to take down the threat. But because of who and what I am, I’m the only one that has the highest chance of ending her situation with minimal bloodshed or any.” 

He nodded and replied, “It’s a good thing that the Coalition doesn’t know how powerful you really are. You’d either be in a lab or dead.”

“Exactly why I only use my Fire. It keeps me off their radar.”

“Alright. I’ll start compiling a list of Enforcers that would be able to complete the 15 jobs, concentrating on who would be best for which case.”

“Thank you. I’ll handle speaking with the three who will only work with me. Then knock the two jobs out.”

“Speaking of the Coalition. It’s a bit of a doozie.”

“How so?”

He handed me the file and I opened it to look. It was an intelligence gathering mission. Once that was completed, I was ordered to then take the entire group out.

“You’re right,” I said, looking at Ben. “I’m going to have to use more than my Fire to take down this organization, unfortunately. There’s no other way, so I’ve got to make it look like I looked used more mundane methods.”

“The other job is a straight assassination. I’d knock that out first while you’re information gathering.”

“Good idea. But before I do anything else, I am going to the bar,” I said standing up.

He smiled, “I’d change first. There’s no way you’ll be able to pick up a girl in that outfit.”

I looked down at what I was wearing and grinned, “You’re right. I look like I’m going to kill somebody instead of flirting. Good night, Ben.”

“Good night and happy hunting,” he said with a laugh and returned to his beloved computers.

I shook my head as I walked up the stairs. That boy was a mad hacker and could hack into everything, but he was the most socially awkward person I had ever come across. That’s what made him a good partner. He could do his work and I never had to worry about information leaking out.

I took a shower and got dressed into something more agreeable to my goal for the night. Getting drunk and laid. Three weeks was too long for me and I was feeling the itch. The Forest Pack was very prone to randiness and it wasn’t uncommon to have full blown orgies. Even though I’d been banished, I still had that sex drive. Hard to ignore sometimes.

I headed back out to the garage and then off to my favorite haunt. Inside, I handed the bartender my leather jacket and revealed a full sleeve of Celtic art tattoos. A remembrance of where my lineage.

The bartender handed over my usual and leaned over the counter to whisper in my ear, “Nyx, there’s a new girl in town. Blonde in the corner booth. Kinda shy, you should introduce yourself.”

I nodded, “In a bit. I’ve got to make my rounds first.”

He grinned and went to help other customers. I moved easily through the crowd, occasionally coming across a caress or a kiss depending on the woman. I was lucky that the women I had slept with held no ill will towards me. They knew what pack I came from and knew that it was in my nature to sleep around. It was something I always made clear.

I took my usual place and leaned against the bar counter facing outwards, scanning the crowd and listening to the live band. Taking a sip of my whiskey neat, my eyes found the girl that I was told about. Blonde hair, slightly round face, the most electric blue eyes I’d ever seen, and from what I could see of her body, curves that demanded to be caressed. She was alone and sipping from a champagne flute, looking over the crowd. People watching. As her eyes swept the crowd, I caught her eyes and I knew I had to have her. I smiled slightly and inclined my head. She smiled nervously and looked down at her drink before taking a sip. I purposely turned my attention from her and out of the corner of my eye, I could see her looking up at me. Drinking my whiskey, I would occasionally look over at her and catch her watching me. When she noticed me looking, she would immediately glance away. I turned back around and leaned on my elbows, giving her a chance to see my ass. There was a mirror running the length of the bar and I could see her reflection. 

She couldn’t seem to stop staring at my backside and I smiled as I saw her tongue dart out, wetting her lips. I was getting to her. I finished my drink as she had finished hers and was playing with the flute. 

I turned to face the crowd again, as the bartender refilled my drink. The crowd parted as the lead singer walked over to me.

“Chloe,” I said, standing up straighter and giving her a tight hug. “Your voice is impeccable as always.”

She blushed and ducked her head, “Nyx, it’s good to see you. Buy me a drink?”

“Always,” I replied and signaled the bartender.

He slid a bottle of beer over and Chloe stopped it deftly. She sighed as the cold liquid slid down her throat.

“So, what brings you over here,” I asked. “You’re usually canoodling with Jake between sets.”

“Well,” she said, placing a hand on my arm and turning her amethyst eyes on me, “me and the guys were wondering if you’d sing with us? Just a couple of songs. You know for old times sake.”

“And what would I get out of this?”

“Maybe that blonde that you’ve been staring at all night. You know how chicks dig band members.”

I chuckled, “Very true. It’s a shame I could never get you into my bed. We would’ve made beautiful music together.”

She jabbed me in my side and replied, “You know better than to flirt with me, Nyx Allistar. I could freeze you with a thought.”

“Oh, I know, darling,” I said and finished my drink. “Alright, I sing a couple of songs with you.”

She beamed up at me and I couldn’t help but smile back as she tugged me to the stage. A cheer went up as everyone noticed where I was going. My singing was a rare treat and they all looked forward to it.

“ _Family Tree _,” I asked them and they all nodded.__

As soon as they started playing, the crowd quieted.

_“Well, it seems to be some people think I am just a dreamer_  
_Well listen close and you will find I am a believer_  
_The stubborn word is thick as mud and this I can guarantee, yeah  
_And my soul’s deep, deep as that blue sea, I wish somebody’d free it__

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_Once I lost my way _  
_All that I would say___

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_Please take home ___  
_To the place I belong ___  
_I wanna die where I was born ___  
_Bury me beneath the family tree ___  
_Yeah, no one ever really wanna leave _  
_I’m home, baby, don’t you know? _  
_I’m finally home…”_____

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As I started the second verse, my eyes gazed over the crowd, swaying to the song, and settled on the blonde. Her eyes were riveted on me and I couldn’t help but smile. I put everything into the song, finding it appropriate to what I was about to embark on. I was going home.

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When the song ended, they started playing New Kinda Feelin’. This time I sang to her, keeping her eyes trained on mine. She began blushing and I smiled and winked at her, making her eyes widen. When we finished, a cheer went up and I bowed and hopped off of the stage. As I walked back over to the bar, I noticed that she seemed intent on staring at the flute she was playing with in her hands. I grinned, realizing that I had hooked her. Now all I had to do was reel her in.

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“Damn, boss,” the bartender said as he handed me another drink and champagne. “I swear you could melt the clothes off of any woman here.”

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I laughed and downed the whiskey and said, as he poured me another, “Liam, you’re making me blush. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a woman that needs my personal touch.”

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“I don’t think you’ll have a problem with that one,” he laughed.

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I saluted him and headed over to the blonde’s booth.

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“May I join you,” I asked startling her. “I come bearing gifts,” and held out the champagne.

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She nodded and accepted the drink, our fingers touching briefly sending a small jolt of electricity up my arm. A lightening mage, a rare power among mages. I smiled at her as I slid into the booth opposite her.

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“I haven’t seen you around here before,” I said as I nonchalantly took a drink.

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She took her own sip before she answered, “I’m new. Here on a business trip.”

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I quirked an eyebrow at her and said, “A business trip? This side of town doesn’t usually have much business that would require a personal visit from an out of towner such as yourself.”

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“This one does,” she said nervously.

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“Then I shall pry no more. Your business is your own.”

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She nodded and took another drink.

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She looked at me with a wrinkled brow, and said, “I’m Clarke.”

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“Nyx,” I answered and held out my hand.

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She took it, another shock traveled up my arm, and shook it. I let go and surreptitiously wiped my hand on my jeans. She didn’t seem to notice the slight exchange of energy, which was odd. Most mages had control of their magic to prevent such things from happening.

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“You have an interesting name,” she said.

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I smiled and said, “I’m named after the Primordial Goddess of the night.”

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“Why would your parents name you that, if you don’t mind me asking?”

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I shrugged, “Easy enough, I was born during the darkest part of the night. My hair and eyes matched the night and that’s why my name.”

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“And the tattoos,” she asked curiously.

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“My people are descended from the Gaelic Celts.”

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“Do you have more?”

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I smiled mischievously and answered, “Yes, I do, but very few people are allowed to find them.”

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She blushed and took a swallow of her champagne.

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“Do you,” I asked, startling her, “have any yourself.”

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She shook her head, “No. I’ve never had the desire to.”

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“It’s not for everyone,” I said nodding my head in understanding. “I happen to find it therapeutic.”

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“Therapeutic?”

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“Yes. Just a way to deal with some things,” I replied, shrugging.

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“And I probably won’t know what those things are if I ask?”

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“You’re right, you won’t,” I said grinning. “We’d have to get to know one another better before I divulge my inner workings.”

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That got her blushing and then she lapsed into silence as I waited patiently for the inevitable.

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“I’ve never heard someone sing like that before,” she said, looking at me with wonder.

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I chuckled, “I’ll take that as a compliment, Clarke. It’s not often that I get to sing. My line of work doesn’t always give me time to and before you ask, I’m not going to tell you what I do. Just as I won’t ask what you do.”

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“Fair enough.”

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From there, I eased her into agreeing into removing ourselves from the bar and moving to someplace more private to continue our conversation. When I took her to my penthouse suite, she was immediately drawn to the view of Olde Town. I smiled to myself as I poured us a couple of drinks. With them in my hands, I approached her from behind. I noticed her eyes flicker to my reflection, but she didn’t turn around.

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Standing directly behind her, I curved my arm around her waist and offered the drink. She took it and I rested my hand across her stomach. She stiffened slightly, but allowed it to stay.

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“Beautiful view, isn’t it,” I asked softly.

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“I’ve never seen anything like it,” she replied with awe in her voice.

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“Hmm, neither have I.”

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She glanced up at me in our reflection and noticed that I was looking at hers. She sipped the drink nervously and I smiled slightly. My eyes never leaving hers, I pushed her back into me and felt her body tremble. I leaned down and kissed the side of her neck. She closed her eyes at the contact, her body relaxing into mine. I nuzzled her neck, taking in her scent, and grazing the spot behind her ear with my teeth. She let out a small gasp and turned herself slightly until I captured her mouth. As we kissed, I turned her around slowly and moved until her back was pressed against the window. She wrapped her arms around my neck, her fingers entwining in my hair. She leaned her head back as I made a trail down her neck and nipped her on the exposed part of her shoulder. She moaned softly as her thoughts leaked and I found out that this was the first time with a woman. I gentled my usual ways, teaching her what it meant to be with a woman. When she climaxed, it was with a most delicious sound making my wolf happy. I then taught her the ways to reciprocate and with her lightning, she made me want more as we fell asleep.

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When I woke up later that night, she was still sleeping beside me, curled up against me. I smiled and got up. I dressed quietly, watching her curiously. The wolf and I felt that this had been more than a one-night stand, but we couldn’t place the feeling. I shook off the confusion and left quietly.

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	2. Clarke

I woke up to knocking, not remembering where I was or how’d I gotten there. I sat up in the bed and realized that I was not where I should be and naked. The knock sounded again, and I wrapped the sheet around myself, going to the door. 

“Yes,” I asked through the closed door.

“Room Service, ma’am,” a man’s voice answered.

Confused, I said, “I didn’t order any room service.”

“Ms. Allistar ordered for you before she left, ma’am.”

Ms. Allistar? I didn’t know anyone by that name.

I opened the door a crack and peered at the man with a cart and covered trays.

He saw me looking and smiled, “Ma’am.”

I opened the door and he walked in pushing the cart. He set it by the breakfast table that had a view of the city. He laid everything on the table and turned back to me.

“Is there anything else I can get you, ma’am?”

Befuddled, I shook my head, “No. No, thank you.”

“Very well. Then I shall be on my way. But before I forget, Ms. Allistar has instructed us that you may remain here until your business in town has concluded. When you leave, just speak with the front desk.”

“She…she did?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Um, okay, thank you,” I said, more confused than ever.

He bowed and left the room, closing the door behind him. I walked over to the breakfast table and lifted the covers. There was fresh eggs, fruits, meats, and a plate of round fluffy things. There was also fresh juice, water, and a steaming dark liquid. Small containers of what looked like milk, sugar, and a sweet gelatinous liquid.

I couldn’t recall the last time I’d seen such fresh and hot food. Greedily, I sat down and tried a little bit of everything. The fluffy round things melted in my mouth as I savored the flavor, but it was missing something. I took the container that held the sweet liquid and poured it over the plate. Taking another bite, I moaned in pleasure. It was so good. I tried the juice and it tasted like fresh oranges. The dark liquid was hot and there was a pleasurable aroma coming from it. Tasting it made me grimace at the bitterness of it, though there was a mild flavor that I found appealing. I took the sugar and poured some in, as well as a bit of the milk. I stirred it and tried it again. It was heavenly. Whatever it was, I wanted more, like every day. I needed to find out what it was.

When I was full, I sat back in the chair and let the atmosphere relax me. I had apparently spent the night with someone. This Ms. Allistar, who ever she was. I was annoyed with myself for not being able to remember what she even looked like. I felt the need to thank her.

There was a series of beeps that brought me back to the present. I got up quickly and grabbed the communicator that was in my pants.

“I’m here,” I said quickly. “I’m here.”

“It’s about time, Clarke,” Bellamy said.

I rolled my eyes and replied, “I’m sorry.”

“Where are you,” he demanded.

“I think I’m at a hotel,” I said looking around.

“A hotel? How did you end up at a hotel? You know, never mind. The more important question is, why did you turn off your tracker last night?”

“My tracker? I didn’t turn it off,” I said, digging through my pockets looking for it. “I’m looking at it and it’s still on.”

“Well, it wasn’t on last night and didn’t come on again until four hours ago.”

“Four hours ago? That’s odd,” I said sitting on the bed.

“You’re not kidding. We’re coming to get you. What’s the name of the hotel?”

“I, I don’t know. Let me look,” I said as I got up to look around.

I opened the drawers to the nightstand, but didn’t find anything useful, so I walked back out into the living room. There didn’t seem to be anything with the name of the hotel, not even the cart. Frustration built, and I walked to the door and opened it, looking down at the handle, I found a door hanger with the name of the hotel. 

Sighing in relief, I said, “I’m at the Sky View Hotel, in the penthouse.”

“Good. We’ll be there in a bit. Don’t go anywhere. Understand?”

Closing the door, I said, “I understand. I’ll be here.”

“Alright. See you in a bit.”

“See you.”

Walking to the bathroom, I dropped the sheet back on the bed and found the most luxurious bathroom that I only thought were in dreams and old novels. Marble counter tops, with what appeared to be gold faucets. A mirror that spanned the entire counter and a very large walk-in shower with glass walls and multiple shower heads. I looked at myself in the mirror and saw that my body was tense and like I’d just spent a night having sex.

Oh My God, I had sex last night. With a stranger. A stranger who has a penthouse in a hotel. Who the hell was this Ms. Allistar?

I shook my head, dispelling the thoughts and turned my focus to the shower. I turned on the water, and being used to tepid water, was pleasantly surprised to find the water running hot. In anticipation, I adjusted the water until it wasn’t burning my hand and stepped in. As soon as I closed the doors, the glass turned opaque and giving me privacy. I stood under the water with my eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of it cascading down my body. Regretfully, I opened my eyes when I remembered Bellamy and Octavia were on their way. I looked around and finding soap and shampoo, I washed every inch of me, reveling in the sensation of being completely clean. 

Done, I wrapped a towel around myself and finding a brush and hair dryer, dried my hair. The first time in a long time, my hair shone, the blonde reflecting nearly white in some places. I braided small portions along the side of my face and let the rest fall. I dried off and walked out into the bedroom. I searched for my clothes and wrinkled my nose at the smell. I’d forgotten that I’d worn them for the past three days. On impulse, I opened the wardrobe doors and was met with a variety of clothing. Opening the small drawers, I found clean underwear and bras. Feeling a moment of guilt that passed quickly, I grabbed the clean clothes and dressed. I found a bag to put my dirty clothes in and left it on the bed.

A buzzer sounded from one of the nightstands and I found a telephone.

Answering, I said, “Hello?”

“Sorry to disturb you, ma’am, but I have a couple here at the front desk saying that they know you. Their names are Bellamy and Octavia Blake,” the voice on the other end said.

“Yes. I know them. Could you please send them up?”

“Of course. It would be my pleasure. I will also send up a keycard so that you may come and go as you please.”

“Thank you,” I said and hung up the phone.

Five minutes later, Bellamy and Octavia opened the door. Octavia let out a long whistle as she took the living room in, while Bellamy looked around suspiciously.

“Damn, Clarke,” Octavia said as she walked over to the windows overlooking the city. “How did you score such a swanky place? Way better then where we were at. Ooh, yummy! Is that fresh fruit?”

I laughed, “It is and it’s so good. Oh, and you’ve got to try the meat. It’s pork, I think. Either way, the food is really good. Chef would be jealous.”

“I’m sure he would,” Octavia replied around a mouthful of fruit. She closed her eyes in ecstasy as she inhaled the leftovers.

She poured some of the black liquid in a cup and took a drink. She sighed in happiness.

“Don’t you find it bitter, O,” I asked her, surprised.

She shook her head and said, “Nope. It’s perfect the way it is. What is it anyway?”

“I have no clue.”

“How’d you score us a better place, Clarke,” Bellamy asked, still suspicious. 

I blushed as I sat down at the table and replied, “Um, I think I slept with the woman who owns or has a standing reservation for this room.”

“You did what,” Octavia said, dropping a piece of meat from her mouth.

“Wait. You think you slept with some woman? How could you not know whether or not you did,” Bellamy demanded.

“I don’t remember,” I said sheepishly. “I went to a bar last night and had a few drinks of champagne. Then nothing. I don’t remember a damn thing. The only thing I know is that the woman’s last name is Allistar.”

“You were drugged. That’s the only thing that makes sense,” Bellamy said as he paced back and forth. “How could you allow this to happen?”

“I didn’t allow anything,” I snapped back. “I just don’t remember what happened last night. I haven’t had champagne since I snuck some when we were kids. So…”

“So, it’s possible that you got too drunk and blacked out,” he supplied.

“I guess,” I said, shrugging.

Bellamy stopped pacing and glanced at me. The glance turned into a stare and his frown deepened.

“Where’d you get the new clothes?”

“There’s a whole wardrobe full of clothes. I didn’t think the woman would mind because there’s clothing of different sizes.”

Octavia looked up at me gleefully and said, “There are? Where?”

I pointed back towards the bedroom and said, “In there. There’s also clean underwear and bras.”

“Sweet,” she replied and streaked to the bedroom.

She screamed in joy and I saw that Bellamy smiled for a moment before he turned serious again.

“We were able to get an appointment to speak with the Garrison Commander for later today,” he said as he walked over to the table and poured himself a glass of juice.

“That’s a load off my mind,” I replied. “I don’t like that we’ve taken people prisoners and their dogs.”

“Those aren’t dogs. They’re wolves,” he said as he gulped down the juice.

“Wolves? You’ve got to be kidding me?”

“No. Raven reported that they are indeed wolves, but they’re different from the ones that used to live here before the nuclear war.”

“How so?”

“The don’t know. The wolves won’t let anyone, except the prisoners, near them. They’ve tried to tranq them, but they won’t go down.”

“What the hell happened after we went into the bunker,” I said thinking out loud.

There was a loud squeal and Octavia came rushing out of the bedroom.

“Have. You. Seen. The. Bathroom,” she gushed.

“It’s awesome. You have got to take a shower. It’s got hot water and everything,” I said, grinning. “Best damn shower in my entire life.”

“Can I,” Octavia asked Bellamy.

He nodded, and she clapped her hands, running back into the bedroom.

“This room is amazing,” I said, leaning back into the very comfortable couch.

“This place is too good to be true,” he said sitting down in an armchair. “We need to get out of here.”

“Oh, come on, Bell,” I pleaded. “Can’t you just take a moment and enjoy it. We’re safer than we were in that motel. We have fresh food and drinks here.”

“You want to stay here,” he asked, in disbelief. “What if that woman comes back and sees you’re still here and there are two more people in the room.”

“I don’t think she’ll be back,” I said. “She told the staff that we’re welcome to stay here until we’re done doing what we need to do.”

“Who the hell is this woman?”

“I don’t know, but apparently she has connections if she can afford this place.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to stay here. We have no idea if she is planning something. She could be a killer and she’s lured you here and saying you could stay here before she kills you.”

“Oh, come on, Bell. You can’t be serious?”

“I’m deadly serious. We don’t know these people. We spent three hours yesterday just trying to get directions to the Garrison. Everyone I asked looked at me like I was nothing more than a piece of dirt. We wouldn’t have gotten anywhere if Octavia hadn’t started asking the same questions.”

“Yeah, it was weird,” Octavia said, coming back out and towel drying her hair. “They completely ignored Bell, but when I started talking, they were very courteous and friendly. When we got to the Garrison, Bell tried to arrange a meeting with the Commander and was completely ignored. I go and talk to the front desk and within ten minutes we had an appointment.”

“Did you experience anything like that,” Bellamy asked curiously.

“I got the same treatment as Octavia. Friendly faces and people pointing where I should visit while I was in town. The only weird thing is that when I accidentally touched someone, they would shudder as if they enjoyed the touch. They would look at me and nod in thanks, then go on their way.”

“That is weird,” Octavia said sitting cross legged on the other chair. “I actually had people backing away, heads down, and then scurry past me. It was like they were afraid of me or something.”

“This place is too weird. We need to get to that meeting and then get the hell out of here.”

“I guess,” I said reluctantly. “What time is the meeting?”

He glanced at his watch and replied, “In about three hours. I guess we stay here until it’s time to leave.”

“Then it would be prudent for to you shower as well,” I said with a smile. “But I think there’s only women’s clothing, so you’ll have to keep wearing the same clothes.”

He gave me a lopsided grin and said, “I think I’ll survive.”

While Bellamy showered, Octavia made herself comfortable and took a nap. There was a knock on the door and the same man that had delivered breakfast came and started to stack the plates and covers back onto the cart.

“Excuse me, sir,” I said timidly.

“Yes, how I may be of service,” he said, smiling.

“That dark liquid. What is it?”

He looked at me funny and answered, cordially enough, “It’s coffee ma’am. Would you like some more sent up? We have a variety of flavors, if you’d prefer something sweeter, with chocolate perhaps?”

“Chocolate?”

“Yes, ma’am,” He replied, obviously confused.

I blushed and said, “You’ll have to forgive me, but there’s no coffee or chocolate from where I come from or those round fluffy things.”

Understanding dawned on his face and he happily replied, “I am sorry, I didn’t know, please forgive me. Those round fluffy things as you called them are pancakes. They’re quite delicious with butter and syrup. You should try that next time. As to the coffee, if you turn on the tv and tune in to channel 1, you’ll see a menu and you can pick and choose what ever you’d like from it.”

“Thank you. You’ve been very kind.”

He smiled kindly and replied, “Ms. Allistar is the owner. She likes to take care of the staff, so we make sure her guests are always well cared for. Will you be going out and enjoying the city today?”

“I’m not sure. We have a meeting with the Garrison Commander in a few hours. I don’t know if we’ll have time after that.”

“Well, call down to the front desk when you’re ready to head to the Garrison and we’ll have a car waiting to take you there.”

“Oh, I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

“We are a full service hotel, ma’am. As I have said, Ms. Allistar is well liked, and it would be an honor and privilege to help her guests in every way possible. If there is nothing else, ma’am, I really must return with these dishes.”

“Oh, yes of course,” I said standing up. “Let me open the door for you.”

“I don’t want to cause you any trouble…”

“Oh, it’s no trouble. It’s the least I can do since you’ve helped me so much.”

He nodded appreciatively, and I opened the door for him. He pushed the cart and went on his way.

“So, a room, room service, and a car,” Bellamy said from the bedroom door. “This gets curiouser and curiouser.”

“I’m starting to grasp just how weird this place is. I just hope the Commander will be able to provide us with some answers.”

“I do too. I’m not comfortable holding them prisoners either. Their people will eventually come looking for them, if they haven’t done so already.”

 

Two and half hours later, we were piled in the back seat of a car being driven to the Garrison. The driver did not like that we insisted that Bellamy ride in the back with us. Whatever was happening was happening only to Bellamy. Octavia and I were treated with immense respect and deference. 

When we arrived, we were immediately escorted to the Commander’s office where we overheard the Commander speaking to someone on the phone.

“You can’t just up and quit. We have a signed contract,” he said angrily.

He paused and listened to someone on the other end.

“Okay, so you’re not quitting. You’re taking a sabbatical. What in god’s name for?”

Pause and we see his face pale.

His tone changed immediately as he apologized, “Yes. Yes, of course. I understand. The Coalition takes precedence over anything else. Just send me the names of the Enforcers you would recommend during your leave. Yes, of course they’ll be well compensated for their work. No, no. You don’t have to come down here. I’ll have the paperwork drawn up and sent to your office. Thank you, ma’am. Alright, I look forward to your return.”

He put the headset down and heaved a huge sigh of relief.

“My apologies, sir. I didn’t realize you were on the phone,” our escort said.

“It’s fine, Corporal. What is it I can do for you?”

“Your two o’clock meeting is here.”

“Well, don’t just stand there, let them in.”

“Yes sir,” she said and swept her arm indicating we could enter.

“Ladies,” he said with a smile and completely ignored Bellamy. “Please have a seat, though I’m afraid your man will have to wait outside the office.”

I looked over at Bellamy who was frowning and silently told him with my eyes to do it. He nodded slightly and left, closing the door behind him.

“So, how is it that I may be of service.”

“Well, our people have moved into the area recently and we’re unfamiliar with the policies that are in place. I’m afraid that we may have taken some people into our custody that may have only been curious.”

“I see,” he said, steepling his hands and placing his chin on them. “May I ask where it is you have moved from?”

“Far west, across the Rockies,” I lied.

“That is far indeed. I didn’t realize that there were people on the other side.”

“Not many of us left, I’m afraid. That’s why we crossed and ended up here.”

“Now, you said that you’ve captured people?”

“Yes, sir. When we capture trespassers, we keep them in custody until we can ascertain their intent. I’m afraid they haven’t been very forthcoming. We don’t want to cause unnecessary issues by keeping them.”

“I understand. Where have you taken up residence?”

“West of here. In Manassas.”

He paled and swallowed down fear. Octavia and I looked at each other in confusion before returning our attention to him.

“I’m sorry. Have we done something wrong by settling there?”

“I’ll be truthful with you girls,” he said leaning forward on the table. “Our jurisdiction does not go that far. Manassas falls under the Forest Pack Territory. You’d have to speak with their leader, Lexa Devereux, de Pakstoka.”

“Pack,” Octavia asked.

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied respectfully. “I’m not sure how you slipped through their patrols, but you’ve landed deep in the middle of their territory. And the men you’ve captured probably belong to the pack. You’ve landed yourself in quite a pickle.”

“How can we rectify the situation,” I asked, concerned. “We have no interest in starting something.”

“Again, my suggestion is to ask to have a meeting with their leader.”

“Do you know how we can contact her?”

“Unfortunately, no. We don’t maintain any contact with them. Only the Coalition does. And I would not speak with the Coalition if it can be handled within the territory.”

“Could you point us in the direction of someone who could?”

“I’d say yes, but she’s just informed me that she will be unavailable to take on any new cases for the foreseeable future. She used to be a member of the pack. She could’ve probably pointing you where or who to go to. I’m sorry.”

“We understand,” Octavia said politely. “We had to give it a try.”

Curiously, I asked, “Could you give us her name, in case we may have a future need to get in contact with her after her return?”

His face brightened that we weren’t pushing the issue and said, “Of course. Of course. Here’s her card. She’s one of the best Enforcers on the East Coast. She can be pricey, but she’s damn good at her job. So, it’s worth it.”

I took the card and read it. The name on the card read, “Nyx Allistar, Freelance Enforcer.” In shock, I recognized the name and last night’s memory returned in a flash. This was the woman who I had slept with and we were staying in her hotel room.

I stood up quickly and the Commander stood as well, and I said, “Thank you, Commander. You’ve been most helpful.”

“Your welcome, young lady. I’m sorry that I could not help you,” he said and held out his hand. 

I took it and saw him do that same shiver of happiness at our contact. I shook quickly and let go. He looked at me funny but said nothing. We said our good byes and left quickly, grabbing Bellamy on the way out. We got back into the car and headed back to the hotel.


	3. Nyx

I’d just gotten back to the office after fielding question after question as to why I was having to postpone my clients’ contracts. I don’t know how many times I apologized and offered to refer them to another Enforcer. They were adamant about sticking with me and only me. I promised all 3 of them that I would contact them immediately on my return.

I was tired and cranky when the phone rang for the thousandth time. When I looked at the caller ID, I growled in frustration. I’d just talked to the man and he was calling me again.

“Commander, I’ve already told you that I will not be available any time soon. What’s so damn important that you’re calling me,” I said roughly as I sat on my desk.

“I know, Nyx, but, I wouldn’t be calling unless it was an emergency. This is an emergency,” he said fearfully, which raised the hair on the back of my neck.

“What is it,” I asked. “What’s got your panties all twisted?”

“I had a meeting earlier today that I think you need to be aware of.”

“Okay. Are you going to tell me, or do I have to guess?”

“Oh, right, of course not. I had a meeting with two young ladies and their human. They’ve recently taken up residence in the Forest Pack Territory.”

He paused to give me a chance to take the information in and I felt fear bubbling up in my gut.

“And?”

“I don’t think they realize the gravity of the situation they’ve found themselves. Their people have just moved into Manassas and they’ve confessed to capturing pack members.”

“Shit,” I replied, my mind going a million miles a minute.

“Exactly. Now, I don’t want this to spill over into my jurisdiction. You know the protocols as well as I do. If it happens, I have to inform the Coalition. If the Coalition gets involved…”

“Then all hell breaks loose. Listen, did you by chance get photos of them?”

“Yes. I’ve already sent them to you.”

I got off the desk and headed to the computer to bring up my email. Opening the attachments, my stomach dropped. One of the photos was of the woman I had slept with last night. The one that I was allowing to stay in my hotel room.

Fucking hell!

Swallowing thickly, “Thank you for letting me know, Commander. I’ll find some way to get it to the de Pakstoka.”

“Oh, thank god! I did not want to have that conversation with her.”

I smiled at his fear, “I’ve still got a few contacts that I can reach out to. No worries. I’ll take care of it.”

“Thank you. That’s all I wanted to let you know.”

“Sure, no problem. I’ll let you know when I’m back in town.”

“Until then, Nyx. Thank you again.”

I hung up the phone and stared at the photos. It’s just my luck that the one woman I pick up at the bar just so happens to be involved with Pack business.

“Dammit,” I said out loud.

“Problems, Boss,” Ben asked as he came down the stairs.

“You have no idea,” I said and pointing to the blonde woman, “This one, Clarke, is the one I slept with last night and have allowed to stay in my hotel room until she leaves. The other two are with her.”

“So, what’s the issue,” he asked as he took a seat.

“Those three came out of Manassas to get information on what to do with the pack members they captured.”

“Oh, shit.”

“No fucking kidding. I don’t think they’ve realized the mess they’ve created. Or that they even know who they’ve captured.”

“You need to haul ass out there before something happens.”

“Unfortunately, I can’t. Not with the Coalition case open. I can take care of the assassination tonight, no problem. But, it’s going to take time and I’m apparently running out of it.”

“Well, I might have something that may help you with the information gathering. If it works, you won’t have to enter the building.”

That perked me right up, “Ooh, new toys?”

He smiled at my eagerness, “Yes, new toys.”

He got up and went over to his tech corner. He came back with a drone and several small round balls. I looked at him funny, but he just smiled.

“Just wait,” he said as he put the balls on his desk and flipped the drone over. 

He gently pried open doors that he had built into the drone’s middle.

“I’ve customized this drone to serve as a bomber,” he explained. “when these balls are inserted, we can fly over any area and drop them.”

“Okay, that’s cool, but the balls?”

He put the drone down and picked up one of the balls. He pressed down on one side and legs sprang out. He handed it to me and I examined it. There were a series of small holes bunched together like you would see on a small speaker.

I looked over at him and asked, “A microphone?”

“Yes, and this one,” he said as he activated a second one, “is a camera. They are designed to search out hidden areas that are hard targets of where you would usually place bugs. They do it themselves and hide in prime spots to record. They don’t have to be controlled and when they’re deactivated, they go poof and there’s no evidence left behind except for specks of dust.”

“Oh, this is excellent, Ben. You’ve outdone yourself once again.”

He beamed at my compliment and taking the bug out of my hand demonstrated exactly what he meant. In the palm of his hand there was nothing more than a few specks of dust that could easily be mistaken for common dust.

“Now I don’t have to worry about trying to get into that building to plant them myself,” I said in relief.

He nodded, “That’s the whole point. It keeps you safe, or safer, and still gets the job done.”

“Do you think that you can set this up tonight, while I take care of the other job?”

He nodded eagerly, “Most def. How are we handling this job, anyway?”

“The Coalition wants information, so we’ll give them that. We’ll send the info that your bugs gather to our secondary server. Once it’s there, I’ll send our contact the link and he can sift through all of it. We’ll keep doing that until they tell us to stop and wait for the final execution.”

“Oh, that’s good. That way you don’t have to constantly monitor the building. All we have to do is keep an eye out for one of them to go poof.”

“And if we lose a large number at once, we’ll know we’ve been compromised.”

He clapped his hands, bringing our attention from the new toys. He smiled and handed me a printout. Looking down at it, I saw that it was my targets itinerary for this evening. He also handed me a tablet that had the layout of the places she’d be.

“Thanks, Ben,” I said as I looked up from the tablet. “You are so good to me. I don’t think I’d be half as good, if it weren’t for you.”

“Th-thanks, Nyx. It means a lot coming from you,” he stammered, blushing.

“You’re the best damn techno mage I’ve ever come across, and there have been many,” I said with a wolfish grin. “I only dish it out when someone deserves it. You know that, right?”

He nodded, “I do, I just like hearing you say it.”

I laughed, “You’re a fisher, Ben. Pure and simple. Since I’ve got a couple of hours to kill, I am going to take a nap.”

“Alright,” he said. “I’ve still got a few things here to do and then I’ll head over to the building and plant the bugs.”

I nodded, “Just be safe. I don’t want to lose you.”

“I promise, I’ll be good.”

I wagged a finger at him and replied, “You better be.”

I walked up the stairs with his laughter following me.

As I walked into my bedroom, my thoughts turned to the other issue at hand. Clarke. The woman who was stirring up a hornet’s nest in Lexa’s own backyard. The woman who had also been invading my thoughts most of the day. I didn’t know what to make of it. On one hand, there was something about her that just drew me to her, like a magnetic pull almost. On the other, she and her people had invaded my home turf, albeit a home I’d never thought I’d return to, but still. 

Then there was the other elephant in the room, Lexa. The woman who had once held my heart in her hands. The woman that I had wanted to spend the rest of my life with. The one who I was going to marry and serve alongside. It was bittersweet knowing that I’d see her again. Be around her again. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to handle it.

I was starting to stress, and the wolf wanted to come out and deal with it in typical fashion, but I quashed it down. Now was not the time to lose it. Ignoring impulses to find alternative ways to de-stress, I forced myself to sleep. The nightmares that ensued only left me tired and pissed off when I woke up a few hours later.

I walked down into the kitchen to make myself something to eat before I headed out. I took my sandwich and a beer down into the office and over to my little toy box. I stared at the box for a few minutes while eating as I decided how best to get the job done. I recalled that on her itinerary that she would be speaking at a fundraiser that was open to the public. That was probably my best window to get the job done without alerting everyone. Putting the beer down, I opened the drawer marked poisons and looked for one that was quick acting and undetectable. It was one of the perks of living in a post-apocalyptic world, the plants. Seemingly innocuous plants that had mutated to some of the most poisonous plant species in the world. I took out a vial, syringe, and an ampule.

I finished the sandwich and got down to business. This was a very deadly poison that I was planning on using. Once injected, you had maybe a minute before it killed you, making it look like the person had collapsed and died of heart failure. The downside was that it didn’t necessarily have to be injected, it was capable of being absorbed into the skin and then killing you. I put on gloves and carefully injected it into the ampule. When it was full, I wiped it down and burned the rag and the syringe. Even lingering traces were lethal. Satisfied, I finished my beer and went back up to change. 

Ready to head out, I grabbed the ampule and headed to the fundraiser in my rally. Lucky for me, rally cars were a common vehicle being driven by most of the residents in our small city. There was just too much debris to risk a normal car. I pulled up to the venue and a valet opened the door for me. I stepped out in a low cut, split leg, open back, full length with a small train, blood red dress. As I walked up the stairs, I turned many heads and I heard low whistles of appreciation. The tattoos didn’t turn off any of their small palpitations of desire. I felt the wolf inhale the luxurious scent and wallow in it. I chuckled to myself as I entered the building. It was one of a few art museums that had survived and that included all of the art work.

The reason for the fundraiser was a tried and true attempt to drum up funds for restoration. Old Towne wouldn’t see a dime of it. The money went straight to D.C. to restore the historical monuments that celebrated and mourned our past. The Coalition was bent on creating its kingdom and damn every other city or town that was rebuilding themselves up from the ashes. 

Taking a glass of champagne from a server, I wandered aimlessly looking at the pieces on display as I kept a weather eye out for my target. I found her speaking with several Ambassadors animatedly. Moving closer, my eyes were drawn to a sculpture of the Capitoline Wolf. It was a beautiful piece of her sitting with the twins taking nourishment. It was rumored that they were the first weres to appear.

As I stood there looking at it, I felt someone come up behind me.

“La Lupa con Romolo e Remo, sculpted by Francesco Biggi and Domenico Parodi. Perhaps one of the greatest interpretations of the Capitoline Wolf Myth,” a woman’s melodic voice spoke from behind me.

I turned to address the speaker to find none other than my target.

I smiled politely and said, “I have to agree with you, Madam Ambassador. The original bronze statues are pale in comparison. I believe that Biggi and Parodi captured the true essence of the story.”

“If the legends are true, they were the first,” she said inclining her head.

“Yes, if the legends are to be believed. Unfortunately, the story is considered myth and there were no records to indicate otherwise. If there were, they were most likely destroyed by the humans of the time.”

“That is most unfortunate, indeed,” she replied. “I did not realize that the Forest Pack ventured outside their territory.”

I smiled, “They do not. I am no longer a pack member.”

“I am sad to hear that, young lady. May I ask why you have not applied for membership to another pack. I know that there would be plenty of offers to bring you into the fold. Your power radiates from your personage.”

I inclined my head, “Thank you, but unfortunately the de Pakstoka blacklisted me so that no other pack would think of accepting me.”

“Was the nature of your crime so horrible to call for such punishment?”

“She felt it was.”

“Then she threw away her best asset. The Coalition often looks for individuals such as yourself. Have you ever thought of inquiring with them?”

“I have. They accepted my offer, but I work for them as an independent contractor.”

“So, is this a business jaunt or personal?”

“Madam Ambassador, this is personal. I felt it was my time to donate and at the same time enjoy the beautiful works on display. It is not often that I get to enjoy beauty where it may be found,” I flirted.

She blushed at the compliment and asked, “Will you be staying long?”

I gave her a flirtatious smile, “Only if there is more beauty to be discovered.”

There was a cough turning our attention to a man that had kept his distance while we had been conversing.

She looked at him and asked, “Yes, Justin?”

“Madam Ambassador, there is a representative from the British Isle Pack that wishes to speak with you.”

She sighed, “Very well.” Turning back to me, she said, “Thank you for this respite. I hope to see you admiring the beauty in these walls.”

I inclined my head and replied, “I will. There is a certain allure that I feel requires further attention. It was a pleasure and honor to speak with you, Madam Ambassador.”

“The pleasure and honor is all mine. Enjoy the rest of your evening,” she said and followed Justin.

I finished my champagne and exchanged my empty flute for a full one. I continued my walk around the museum, occasionally speaking with another patron as I continued to watch her. She would on occasion look around and smiled whenever she caught a glance of me. I purposefully walked seductively always within her eyesight.

Finally, the opportunity presented itself as her detail stepped away and I began to approach her. Passing her, I ran my hand with the ampule caressing her backside and surreptitiously injected the poison. She looked at me in surprise and I smiled and continued on my way. Passing her detail, I used my telepathy to make them forget I was ever there conversing with her just an hour ago. Nearing the exit, I heard a collective gasp and turned to see what caused it. The Ambassador lay on the floor, dead. My work was done, and I left.

As I waited for my rally, I knew that Ben would already be working on removing any video evidence of me. I also knew that I wouldn’t need to contact my client letting them know that the job was complete. They would receive the news soon enough and my fee would be in my account by morning.

Walking into the office I didn’t see Ben, but the monitors showed the interior of the building and audio could be heard softly. He had completed his side of the job and I mentally congratulated him for a job well done.

I slipped off my shoes and holding my dress up, climbed the stairs to my room. Hanging the dress up, I crawled into bed, nude, and fell asleep quickly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> La Lupa con Romolo e Remo, sculpted by Francesco Biggi and Domenico Parodi
> 
> Is an actual sculpture of the Capitoline Wolf. The mythical she-wolf that kept Romulus and Remus alive to found Rome.


	4. Clarke

Walking into the room, I began to pace as thoughts raced through my mind. Bell and O took up residence in the armchairs as they watched me.

“Well, this just got more difficult,” Octavia said.

I looked at her as I continued my pacing, “Hopefully, we can still end this peacefully.”

“Clarke, we need to head home now,” Bellamy said.

I glanced at the sky and replied, “It’s too late to head back, Bell. We’ll leave first thing in the morning. Based on what the Commander told us, the area is rife with patrols. If we leave now, we might not make it back.”

“We can make it back, just like we were able to come here. We were able to avoid their patrols.”

I stopped and looked hard at him, “Again, if this de Pakstoka is aware of the disappearance of her people, she has probably increased the number of patrols. They know the terrain better than we do. It’s too much of a risk to travel at night.”

“Alright. We’ll do it your way.”

“Thank you,” I said and continued my pacing.

“Dear God, Clarke, can you just quit with the pacing. What’s got you worried,” Octavia asked.

I sat down on the couch and looked down at my hands, twisting my shirt with them, “I, um, remembered who I slept with last night.”

“And…”

I handed her the card and her eyes widened in surprise. She looked at me and asked, “You slept with her? The name on the card?”

“Um, yeah?”

Bellamy took the card from her, looked at it, and asked, “You slept with someone that is an Enforcer? What in hell is an Enforcer?”

“I don’t know, and I did not know what she did for a living. We didn’t go into much detail about one another, I swear!”

“So, what’s so special about her,” he asked pocketing the card.

“She’s the one the Commander told us about,” Octavia explained. “The one who might be able to get us in contact with their leader.”

“So, why don’t we give her a call and see if she can do it? I mean, Clarke’s already made a connection with her if this room is any indication.”

“We can’t,” I said crestfallen. “She’s not taking on any new cases.”

“Couldn’t you at least try and convince her?”

“Absolutely not,” I said with conviction. “For one thing, I don’t know her well enough to ask and for another, I think I was a one night stand for her. I won’t ever see her again.”

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. Even though you were just a booty call, it doesn’t hurt to try.”

I glared at him for his comment, but I sighed in resignation, “You’re right. It wouldn’t hurt to try.”

He handed me back the card and we huddled around the phone. Luckily, it had a speaker, so that we could all listen. I nervously dialed the number and we waited. On the third ring it connected, and an automated message played apologizing for not being able to take any new cases for the foreseeable future. I hung up the phone, feeling dejected. Our only hope of ending this, couldn’t.

“Well, that sucked,” Octavia said as she plopped back onto the chair. “It looks like we’re on our own.”

A weird thought occurred to me and I asked Octavia, “Didn’t the Commander call the area ‘Forest Pack Territory,’ O?”

“Yeah, why,” she answered.

“Don’t you think it’s weird that he said the word pack? Shouldn’t he have just called it the Forest Territory or something like that?”

She thought about it a minute and then sat up in her chair, “You’re right. What did he mean by that? Pack. Don’t you usually refer to a group of animals a pack?”

“Like, wolves,” Bellamy suddenly said, sitting up abruptly. “You call a group of wolves a pack.”

“Oh, crap,” I said with fear. “Those wolves that were with the men…”

“Could be part of the pack he was referring to. And the men could be their handlers or something. We’re in deep shit.”

“Maybe not,” I said thinking. “What if we just let them go?”

“We can’t, Clarke,” Bellamy said. “If we do, they’ll just come back with reinforcements. The prisoners have seen the inside, they’ll know our vulnerabilities.”

“But…”

“No, but’s, Clarke. They stay our prisoners until we can negotiate peace with their leader. It’s the only chance to make sure our people stay alive.”

I sunk back into the couch, feeling hopeless and helpless. I wasn’t sure we’d come out of this unscathed.

 

When dawn appeared over the city, we made our way back to our vehicle. The staff had given us packs of food and wished us well on our travels. We sighed in relief as we left the city limits. We took the exact same path we’d traveled to get to the city. We slowed as we entered the forest, keeping an eye out for anything or anybody, but we encountered none. 

Nearing Manassas and the area we had cordoned off as our own, we radioed Raven for her to bring down the shield. Between her and Monty, our camp was as secure as could be. Nothing could enter and unfortunately, nothing to get out. But it was something that I was absolutely grateful for now that we knew the extent of our situation.

Pulling into the garage, we were surrounded by a crowd. As we got out, everyone started talking at once, demanding to know what was going on and asking if we were safe.

Bellamy climbed onto the hood of the truck and held out his hands for silence.

When he got it, he began speaking, “Everybody calm down. To answer the more important question; yes, we are safe. Raven’s shield is working. Nobody can get in here. As to what’s going on; I can’t answer that question, yet. We need to convene the Council and once a decision has been made, we’ll make an announcement. So please, let us get our job done and you get back to yours. We have a lot of work to do if we want to make sure we can make it through winter.”

The crowd murmured their assent and started dispersing, letting us get back to it. Raven and Monty joined us as we walked to the Council Room. When the door closed behind us, they started with the questions.

“What were you able to find,” Raven asked as she sat down at the table.

Everyone joined her, and Bellamy answered, “Some answers, but a lot more questions.”

“What do you mean,” Monty asked.

“We were able to get answers on whose land we’re on and the name of their leader. The Garrison Commander in Old Towne said that we’re in the middle of a territory belonging to the Forest Pack. We’re not sure what he’s referring to, but we believe that it refers to the wolves. Their leader is called de Pakstoka, but we didn’t get a name. The biggest news is that he can’t help us. His jurisdiction ends at the city limits.”

“Was he able to provide us with any help at all,” Raven asked with a frown.

“Not really. He gave us a card with the name of a freelance Enforcer that may have some contacts that could get us a meeting with their leader. Unfortunately, she’s unavailable and out of contact for the time being,” I answered.

“What’s an Enforcer?”

I shook my head and said, “We’re not sure. By the name, it implies that they enforce something; laws maybe? We were afraid to ask too many questions. The people we encountered were beginning to become suspicious.”

“Understandable,” she said nodding. “You said that you have more questions than answers. What do you mean?”

“The people are strange,” Octavia took up the answering. “They completely ignored Bellamy and treated him like he was insignificant. He would ask questions and would be completely ignored, but when I asked the questions, they immediately answered. It’s how we got a meeting with the Garrison Commander. They would only respond to either me or Clarke.”

“That is weird,” Monty replied. “Maybe they have a matriarchal society?”

I shook my head, “No, I don’t think so. The Commander was a guy and he didn’t act like he was submissive with us. At least not overtly.”

“Explain.”

“This is the really weird part,” Octavia said. “The people I talked with acted submissive, like there was something about me that made me more intimidating then Bellamy. I had people even run across the street to avoid me.”

“Even I had weirdness,” I said. “Whenever I accidentally came into contact with someone, they would shiver in pleasure and thank me for the contact. I have no clue as to why?”

“Pleasurable contact? And you weren’t flirting or anything?”

“No. It was passing contact when I bumped into them.”

“Strange, indeed. We’ll have to look into that further at some point,” he said thoughtfully.

“So, what do we do now,” Raven asked, worried.

“We can’t let them go and we can’t reach out to their leader. We don’t even know where she is,” Bellamy replied.

“So, we have nothing to give to our people,” she said dejected.

The three of us shook our head, all of us feeling dejected.

“I don’t know,” Bellamy said. “We’re going to need to stall them. I just don’t know how long we’ll be able to hold off their questions.”

Changing the subject, I asked, “How are the adults holding up?”

Raven’s demeanor saddened even more as she answered, “We lost five more while you’re gone. That’s 75 now.”

“And our resident chemist hasn’t figured out was in those canisters,” Bellamy asked.

“He knows what was in the canisters, but some of the chemicals have never been seen before. He says they appear to have a genetic similarity to plants that were common in this region before the nuclear strike, but it’s a slim similarity. There wasn’t enough residue to give him a ratio and since we don’t have the manpower to go looking, we have no cure,” Monty answered.

“My mom,” I asked fearfully.

“Still hanging in there as are the rest of the Council Members,” Raven said. “But it’s odd that no one under the age of 30 were affected by the gas.”

“It is,” I replied, “We can add that to the list of questions for their leader when or if we can talk to her.”

“Is there anything else that we need to address,” Bellamy asked, already wanting to leave.

“The only thing of note is that there haven’t been any more sighting of men and wolves in the last two weeks,” Raven said.

“At least we have one good thing going for us,” he said as he stood up. “Meeting adjourned, I guess.”

We all got out and went our separate ways. I made a bee line to the hospital wing in the bunker. Before I entered the double doors, I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, steeling myself for what I was about to encounter. Nearly 200 of our adult population had been infected by whatever was in those canisters that had been launched three weeks after we had resurfaced and that was when we had begun to capture the groups.

I opened one of the doors and without looking around, I zoomed in on my mother’s bed. Walking quickly, I made it without making any eye contact with the other patients. I sat on the edge of bed and took her hand in mine.

“Mom,” I whispered. “Mom, I’m back.”

Her eyelids fluttered, and she turned towards my voice. Pushing back a sob as I looked into my mother’s unseeing ones, broke my heart.

“Clarke, honey, is that you,” she asked, her voice trembling with fatigue.

“Yeah, Mom. It’s me. We just got back from the nearest city.”

“Oh, you shouldn’t have had to do that, sweetheart.”

“I know, Mom. It had to be done, though.”

“Did you find help,” she asked, her voice tinged with hope.

I shook my head as a tear rolled down my cheek, “No Mom, we didn’t. I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be, Clarke. We had to try.”

“Mom, there’s still hope. We found out that we’re in the middle of someone’s territory. They have a leader that we may be able to get some answers from.”

“But you’re not sure.”

“No,” I said sadly. “We know her name, but we don’t know where their base is, nor do we have a way to get ahold of her.”

“And we can’t let the prisoners go either.”

“No.”

“Oh, sweetheart. You shouldn’t have to carry this burden on your shoulders. Not like this. Not ever.”

“I know, but there is no one else. We’re trying our hardest to get us out of this, but I’m scared, Mom. So is everyone. We don’t know what to tell them.”

“Just tell them there’s still hope. If you keep telling them enough times, they’ll start to believe it.”

I saw Mom start deflating from fatigue and I knew our conversation had to end.

“Mom, get some rest. I’ll come visit again soon, okay?”

“Okay, Clarke. I love you,” she said as her eyes drooped closed.

“I love you, too,” I said and leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek. 

With tears running down my face, I pushed quickly through the double doors and headed for the sunlight.


	5. Nyx

It’d been four days since we’d set up the surveillance and I was starting to get bored. Even my trips to the bar had given me no escape from the doldrum. What sucked even more, was that I couldn’t shift and take a run. Not within the city limits and I was going to be damned if I had to drive to the limits just to run for maybe an hour. So, I sat at my desk, tossing a knife in the air and catching it as Ben monitored the screens.

“Hey, Boss,” he said suddenly, and I yelped as I nearly skewered my hand. “You’ve got to come see this.”

I got up, glaring at him, and walked over. He pointed to a screen and my eyes widened.

“You have got to be shitting me. Are those…,” I said looking closer.

“Yeah, bears,” he replied. “And by the looks of it, northern black bears. You can tell by the white streaks along the back of their heads.”

“Ice Pack,” I said bitterly. “No wonder the Coalition wants info. They must not have gotten permission to move here.”

“Why would the Coalition be bothered by this,” Ben asked. 

“Because this brings them much closer to Lexa. If they start something with her, this entire area will become a war zone. Too many deaths will hang over the Coalition’s head if it happens.”

“And the Coalition does not want to lose its power.”

“Exactly. But this presents another problem for me. If I go anywhere near that building, they’ll be able to sniff me out. Can’t hide a wolf in a sleuth.”

“Crap, that means you have to pay her a visit, doesn’t it?”

I wrinkled my nose in disgust and replied, “Yes. I’ll have to go see her, but I’m not going to see her until I’m told otherwise.”

“Why can’t the Coalition ever give us an easy one,” he complained.

“Because they wait until the last minute before rectifying a situation that is called to their attention. This is the closest thing to easy as we’re ever going to get from them.”


	6. Nyx

Five days later, I finally get the call to pull the plug on the bugs. My contact’s gotten all the information they needed, and I was given permission to finish the job.

“Finally,” I said as I hung up.

“They’re letting you finish?”

“Yes, and now…”

“Now, you have to go and visit the frikdreina.”

“Yeah,” I said, my mood plummeting. “Ugh, I hope she doesn’t cost me an arm and a leg to get that potion.”

“You never know, maybe you’ll catch her on a good day?”

“Ha! As if she ever has a good day. I just hate having to deal with her and her pet human. They make me sick just watching them gush over one another.”

He shuddered alongside me and said, “I’m glad it’s you and not me that needs to go.”

I glared at him and he just laughed. Laughed me all the up the stairs and out the door.

I grumbled all the way to her place across town. She lived in an even worse side of town then I did, but mine was by choice not her’s. Stepping off my bike, I gave myself a mental shake and started walking up towards her very old, very decrepit Victorian. I couldn’t understand how a mostly wood structure could have survived the shockwave of the nuclear blast. As I walked up the steps, it felt like I was walking to my doom and not purchasing a scent changing spell. I would have loved if I could have gone to any of the other witches in the city, but she was the best and I only went to the best.

As my foot touched the porch, the front door opened, and her human leaned against the doorframe. I snarled as I saw him, looking like he owned the world. He smirked at me and then stood aside to let me pass. I fought the urge to recoil from being so near him as I walked into the sitting room. Not saying a word, he left to go get the witch. I walked over to the fireplace and wondered exactly how much power it would take to burn this place to the ground.

“It’s been a long time, Enforcer,” she said from behind me.

I turned around and replied, “Not long enough for me.”

She smiled sweetly as she draped herself on the settee, “What is it that brings you to my humble abode?”

“I need to hide my scent from northern bears,” I replied evenly.

Her eyes widened in interest, “Do you indeed?”

I nodded curtly, “And I need it tonight.”

“Of course, you do,” she said as she got up. “Always so busy our Enforcer is. Trying to make up for being packless. Trying to make up for the deaths of those innocents by adding more death to your hands. I wonder how much death your hands can hold, Nyx.”

I seethed as she ran her hand across my chest and circled around me. I heard her inhale deeply as she breathed me in.

“So much anger. So much pain. So much heartbreak. There is just so much that rolls off of you, my sweet Nyx. I could take that all away as quick as a blink. You know I could,” she whispered in my ear.

I growled low and she backed away laughing.

“Ah, but you have no interest in letting all that go,” she said. “Come.”

She waved her hand to follow and I did. We walked back into her workshop and she sifted through vials along her floor to ceiling shelves mumbling to herself. She stopped and plucked a vial from the back shelf. Turning, she walked back over and held it out to me.

“One vial of northern black bear scent,” she said.

“What do you want for it,” I asked.

She pouted as she faked thinking about it, “How about a recipe book from one of the Ice Pack’s mages.”

I looked at her suspiciously and said, “And why would I do that? I have no interest in the Ice Pack.”

She laughed again and said, “My dear, everyone knows that the Ice Pack has taken residence in our beloved city. There are no secrets here. A recipe book from one of their mages is the price. Do you accept.”

I growled, but said, “Fine. One Ice Pack mage recipe book for one vial of northern black bear scent.”

“Ah, not quite, my dear.”

I breathed through my nose and said, “What else do you want?”

“I want two of your fire bombs as well.”

I knew better than to ask, so instead I asked, “Metal or Earth?”

She placed her mutated hand on her chin as she thought and then her eyes brightened, “One of each. Yes, one of each.”

“Done. How long of a delay do you want?”

“Oh, two minutes will be plenty of time, don’t you think?”

I shrugged, “I suppose as long as you swear not to try and take out my bar, home, or hotel, we have a deal. Two fire bombs and a recipe book.”

She held out the vial and I took it from her. I looked at it and then pocketed it in my jacket.

“I’m sure I don’t need to remind you, but I will anyway. If you shift the scent will disperse and they’ll know you’re there.”

I nodded, “The bombs will be on your doorstep tomorrow. The recipe book will follow as soon as I’m done.”

She nodded nearly clapping with glee, “It was a pleasure doing business with you, as always.”

“Whatever, Emori,” I said as I turned to walk out of her house. “I suggest you teach your human better manners. Not everyone likes a cocky human.”

“John’s cock is just fine the way it is, Nyx. It’s too bad, you’ll never know the feeling,” she said from the doorway.

“As if I’d ever consort with a human,” I mumbled as I climbed on my bike. I revved the engine and peeled away from her, her human, and that house. 

I immediately walked up the stairs to my bathroom and stripped the clothes off. I burned them to remove any trace evidence of coming into contact with that place and her, then threw them into the laundry hamper. Turning the shower on until it was scalding hot, I washed every last trace from my body until I was boiling red and nearly scrubbed raw.

Stepping out, I dried myself quickly and got dressed. Braiding my still wet hair I walked back down into the office and over to my work bench. Grabbing a pound of red clay and about a half a pound of scrap metal, I got to work on creating the bombs. I could have made them just from the air itself, but it took more energy then I wanted to spend. I still had to make bombs when I entered the Ice Pack building. The bombs slowly took shape and because she didn’t specify the size, I made them big enough to impress. When they were made, I infused fire into the hollows until there was enough that it would blow big and bright but wouldn’t cause so much damage that it wouldn’t be repairable. As the finishing touch I put the rune that was needed to activate the bombs and giving it a two minute delay.

Done, I wiped my hands clean and pulled out two wooden boxes. They already had the packaging material inside them, so all I had to do was wrap the bombs, make sure that the runes were upward and closed the lids. I wrapped the boxes up in packaging paper and wrote on the delivery slip where they were to go. Going over to my laptop, I logged into my account with the delivery service and set it to pick up and drop off in the morning.

Glad to be done with that bit of dirty work, I pulled my chair over to the monitors and sat next to Ben.

“What have you got for me,” I asked as I looked at the screens.

He froze one of them and pointed, “This is the main entrance. That should be your last spot to hit before you vacate the premises. They’ve got a five car garage here,” changing the image, “five bay doors and two plain doors. All metallic.” Changing the view to one of the house, “Here, there are six entrances that lead in and out of the building. One’s a basement down those steps. The rest are ground level. Two on either long side and one on the east side, next to the stairs leading to the basement. There’s three fire escapes and an entrance on the roof. I don’t know if you want to extend your power all the way up there, but it’s a possible escape route.”

I nodded as he pulled up the schematics of the interior of the building.

“These are the load bearing pillars where you need to place the bombs. Taking them out will make the building start to collapse. Here and here is where you want to load up some more to make sure that the entire building collapses in on itself.”

“Entrance and exit,” I asked.

He switched to a video feed and zoomed in on the northeastern portion of the surrounding wall.

“This is the easiest in and out of there. Very little security and no video feed. It’ll be easy enough for me to scramble their feed inside the building, so you won’t have to worry about there being evidence of you walking around.”

“Good work, Ben,” I said clapping him on the back. “Nicely planned out.”

“Thank you, but there is a downside. There isn’t a lot of ground cover for you to move through. You’re going to have to stay low.”

I grimaced, “I know, and I can’t shift while I’m there. If I do, the potion loses its potency. I’ll smell like a wolf.”

He looked over at me and with an encouraging smile and said, “I know you’ll figure it out. You always do.”

“Thank you for having such faith in me, Ben. You’re my best friend,” I replied and hugged him.

I stood up and stretched, “I better get to making more bombs. Luckily, I’ve got enough material, that I won’t have to strain too much, leaving me with enough energy to replenish myself completely by tomorrow night.”

“Then I’ll leave you to it and call it a night,” he said, standing up.

“All right, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

When he left, I headed back to my work bench. Laying a whole lot of scrap metal on the bench, I held my hands out over it and began to manipulate the material into bombs. When I was done I set them aside and worked on the earthen bombs. I had sweat traveling down my back when I was finally done, and exhaustion was creeping up on me. With a sigh, I headed back to my room and collapsed on my bed, asleep before my head hit the pillow.

When I woke up late afternoon of the next day, I filled the bombs with fire and set the runes with a 10 minute delay. I wasn’t worried too much about my fire power because I wouldn’t really be using it. Each power had its own strength level and my metal was back to full strength as was my earth. 

Once everything was completed, I packed them all up in my bag of tricks, as I liked to call my duffle, and went in search of food. Ben had the forethought to go grocery shopping and I whipped up a very large meal. I knew I’d need the energy and stayed away from the very tempting beer. Stuffing my mouth with food, I fed not only myself, but my wolf as well. I’d need as much strength as I could to pull this off tonight.

A quarter past nine and we were weaving through the streets heading to the Ice Pack’s building. Ben had created a stealth mode on his buggy and turned it on as soon as we were a block away. He turned into the woods that surrounded the wall and I climbed out. Wearing tight black clothing, I pulled a full baklava over my head and jumped up on the wall. I straddled the wall and waited for Ben to toss the bag up to me. I lowered it on the other side and with a salute I was over the wall and making my way to the garage.

When I came to the garage, I placed my hands on the wall and closed my eyes. I encountered five lifeforms and grabbing them with my mind, I forced them asleep. When their minds were asleep, I crept into the garage and planted bombs on the underside of two vehicles, near the gas tanks. Crawling out, I left and once more placed my hands on the wall. This time I sent my metal power out and melted the doors and bays shut.

Scouting around the edge of the building, I paused and watched the patrols as they walked by. The potion that Emori had given me was working, their noses not even twitching. I scurried to the building and walked into the basement. I went to the door that lead into the building and melted it shut. I didn’t want anyone to interrupt me. I placed the bombs on all the load bearing pillars and headed straight to the wall that held the servers to place the last of them. 

I pressed the comms in my ear and whispered, “Ben, did you by chance siphon the information on the servers down here?”

“No. I didn’t think to do that,” he replied. “I’ll do it now and wipe them clean.”

“Good man. The last of the bombs have been placed. I’m heading back now.”

“Copy that.”

I released the comms and knelt down, placing my hands on the concrete. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on feeling for every last bit of metal in the building. There was a lot. I took a deep breath and starting at the roof, began meticulously melting every door, every window shut. It was slow work and as I neared the bottom floor, I could feel that I was nearing the bottom of the well. I pushed myself harder as beads of sweat were absorbed into my clothing. The last bit of energy, I sent out to the fire escapes and melted them, leaving them looking like normal, but if anybody put any weight on them, it would all come crashing down. Finally done, I left out of the door and then melted it as well. 

For insurance, I created earthen bombs and I scattered them around the grounds. I wanted to cause as much chaos as I could. I heard a loud crash coming from the main entrance and turned looking back. More cars had entered the area and people were spilling out as windows were being smashed and people began jumping out of them. I was out of time. I sent out a telekinetic pulse activating every bomb in the place and ran for the wall.

A shout behind me told me all I needed to know. I’d been spotting and could hear the men shouting behind me and then silence except for pounding feet. I glanced behind me and could see them catching up. All pretense of stealth left me, and I told Ben to meet me by the gate. I shifted and ran right into them. Sliding and dodging through them as I avoided their teeth and claws, I ignited the cluster bombs as I passed. Screams echoed behind me as I ran for the entrance. I was side tackled by something as I came across the first vehicle. I landed with a solid thunk and got up and ran again. I was tackled once more, and I felt teeth along my ribs. A yelp escaped my mouth as I fought my attacker off. I wheeled around and faced another wolf. We growled and then launched ourselves at each other. We nipped, swiped, bit, kicked each other bloody. I finally had an advantage and as I went in for the kill, she somehow maneuvered herself and was able to plant her hind legs on my chest. With a mighty heave she threw me off and I landed several feet away hard. I got up on shaky legs and shook my head to clear it. It was just a moment, but that was all it took for her to bring me down. I howled in pain as she raked her claws along my backside trying to get a grip on me. I writhed trying to throw her off, but I was feeling the exhaustion from using my metal, that I could hardly stand. But I had to fight, I had to get this bitch off of me and end her. With the last of my energy, I heaved her off of me and opened the earth beneath her. She fell in and I ran to Ben and his buggy. I made it through and shut the gate, melting it using the last of that well and more. I stopped briefly and closing my eyes, I opened the earth and rained fire on the entire place. Screams of fear and death brought me back to the present and I closed the earth, leaving no trace. I crawled to the buggy, still in wolf form, and heaved myself in. Ben took off and I lost consciousness.

I woke up two and half days later, still in wolf form and wrapped in bandages. I shifted, and I moaned at the pain. The door opened, and Ben walked quickly over to me.

He kneeled by my head and stroked me. I closed my eyes as I felt the comforting touch. When I opened them again, he smiled.

“God, Nyx. You scared my heart to death. You were bleeding so much and I couldn’t wake you. You were in a bad way and I had to call in a healer. He patched you up and we brought you up here.”

I wuffled in reply and he laughed.

“The Coalition contacted us congratulating on a job well done, though they were curious as to why some of them were nearly neck deep in the ground while others were burnt to a crisp. I lied and said that you’d hired an earth mage just in case things got hairy. I also told them that you paid for him yourself already. They paid us more than we had agreed on and on top of that, paid for the healer. So, all in all, it was a clean job.”

I whined a bit and shifted in bed, catching his attention.

“That’s another thing. The healer doesn’t want you to shift for another day. The injuries were life threatening. He doesn’t even want you to try and move.”

I growled in frustration and he stroked me behind the ears, “I know you don’t like it, but you’ve gotta stay still and let your body heal. And to do that, I’m afraid I’m going to have to tranq you.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, but he resolutely brought out the syringe and injected me with a tranquilizer. He continued to stroke me until I passed out again.

Another day later and I was awake again and in significantly less pain. I shifted and found myself quite naked. I sat up gingerly, the bandages falling off of me. I got up and walked over to my closet door that held my full length mirror. Looking at myself, I saw numerous bruises that were already turning pale yellow and nearly healed scratches and tears along the entire length of my torso and back. Scratch’s ran up and down my arms and legs. There was a nasty bite on my hip. That bitch had fucking marked me. Growling in anger, I prayed I had opened a big enough hole for her to die in.

Sighing I went and took a long shower, letting the hot water ease the tension in my muscles and soothe the pain away. I brushed my hair out, untangling it and left it loose around my shoulders. Dressing carefully, I walked down the stairs and continued my way down into the office. I found Ben packing up our gear, getting it ready for the trip to Clifton.

“Hey, Ben,” I said as I went and sat at my desk. 

He spun around and smiled see me there.

“How ya feelin’, boss,” he said as he left what he was doing and came up to the desk and sitting in the chair opposite me.

“Like shit and carnivorous,” I answered. “I’m starving like I haven’t eaten in a week.”

He chuckled, “It’s nearly been that long since you ate. Let me go upstairs and make you something. I’ll only lightly sear the steaks and bring everything down here.”

“Thanks, you’re the best,” I said as I laid my head on the desk, pillowed by my arms. 

He got up and headed up to the kitchen. Listening, I heard him fire up the grill on the stove and begin humming as he put together whatever he was planning on making. I smiled at his kindness. I really had been lucky finding him.

The phone rang, and I looked at the number. I didn’t recognize the number, but the area code was Clifton’s.

Answering, “Hello.”

Gustus’s voice came through, “Did you finish your jobs?”

“Yes. The last job nearly killed me. I’ve been out of commission for the last three days. Give me another day and we’ll be on the road the morning of the next.”

“We?”

“Yes, we. I’m going to need Ben’s help on this one. When I left, you didn’t have very strong techno mages. He’s the best and you can be damn sure that he’s helping. No argument.”

He grumbled, “Fine. How many vehicles?”

“Two. Heavily customized dirt bike and armored vehicle.”

“I’ll make sure that the border patrols know to expect you the day after next. You’re to report directly to the Mansion. No deviations from the road.”

“Aye, aye, Gustus. I’ll go straight there.”

He grunted and hung up the phone.

I sighed as I hung up the receiver. I hated that man. He was nothing but trouble. I just wish I didn’t have to deal with him at all, but I couldn’t avoid it. As Lexa’s Second, he was going to be my contact.

Ten minutes later, Ben came down the stairs with a heavily laden tray of food. I sat up straight as he laid it on my desk.

“Was that the phone I heard earlier,” he asked.

“It was. Just Gustus making sure we’d make the deadline.”

“Ah,” said as he turned to head back upstairs. “I’m getting you drinks. Healer says you need to replenish everything, including your vitamins and electrolytes.”

“Alright, boss. Whatever you say,” I replied as I dug into the food. 

Twenty minutes later the food was gone, including every last bit of grease and crumb that I could find. I stacked the plates and drained the last of the jugs. I leaned back and belched softly, making Ben chuckle. I grinned at him and felt sleep tugging at me.

I got up and said, “I think I’ve spent enough time awake, Ben. I’m heading back to bed.”

He nodded and replied, “I’ll have the gear packed and ready to load up by tonight. When are we leaving?”

“Day after next. I still need to heal, and you need to get some real rest. I don’t want you dropping from exhaustion. It’s a long drive to Clifton.”

“I promise. As soon as I’m done packing, I’ll go to bed. Sweet dreams.”

“Same to you, bud. Good night.”

“Night.”

I got into bed and pulled the covers over me and I felt Lexa through our telepathic link for the first time in eight years. Gustus must have told her that I had been severely injured, and she was checking on me. A small smile curled my lips as I fell asleep.


	7. Octavia

It’d been a week since we returned from Old Towne and we saw no more men with wolves. People were starting to relax slightly as the tension eased. We didn’t know what to tell them or to let them know that this was probably a reprieve before things started up again.

I was walking around aimlessly when I heard a howl of pain coming from near the gate. I picked up my pace as I heard it again, followed by laughter. What I saw horrified me and a spark of anger flared. Guards were torturing one of the wolves with the shock collar as one of the men was held back, screaming.

I walked up to them and yanked the control from the hand of the guard.

“What the hell are you thinking,” I yelled at him. “If we kill or hurt one of them, it’ll only cause more problems! If they find out we did this, they will rain holy hell on us! These people revere wolves and you’re torturing one of them in front of the man that is probably its handler!”

“Oh, come on, Octavia,” Monroe said. “We were only just having a bit of fun. We weren’t going to kill it.”

I whirled on her and stared her down, “Fun?! You call this fun?! Are you out of your sick and twisted minds! You were torturing it! You were driving this man to madness!”

“We’re sorry, Octavia,” Harper said, apologetically. “We weren’t thinking.”

“Damn right, you weren’t thinking,” I yelled as I felt an unfamiliar growl travel up and my lips curl into a snarl. “Maybe I should put the shock collars on you and see how you feel after five minutes of being shocked into a stupor.”

I was immediately surprised when Harper and Monroe immediately backed down and for some strange reason bared their necks to me. I looked around me and the prisoners around us were doing the same.

What the fuck?! What the hell is happening?!

Getting my composure back, I said, “Let that man go.”

They immediately let him go and he immediately ran over to the wolf and cradled its head in his lap. His hands fluttered over its body and he looked up at me tears streaming down his face. My heart twisted, and I felt ashamed.

I walked over to him and knelt down and said softly, “Let us take it. We’re going to take it to our medical wing and see how bad it is, okay?”

He gripped the wolf tighter, not wanting to let it go.

“Please,” I pleaded. “I don’t want it to die.”

He looked up at me and something in my face showed that I was being honest. He nodded and with a kiss on its head, he got up and moved away.

“Take the wolf to the medical wing,” I ordered. “And make sure you handle it with the greatest of care. If I find out you mishandled it, it will cost you dearly.

Three of the guards walked over and carefully lifted the wolf and headed to the bunker and medical. I watched them for a moment before turning on Harper and Monroe.

“You two, on me,” I said to them and then walked away. 

They followed, not saying a word. We walked into the guard shed and I pulled out two shock collars. Without a word, I placed them around each of their necks and grabbed the remote. They started to back away, terrified, but in this moment, I didn’t care. Without remorse, I flipped the switch and they fell on the ground screaming at the pain of the electricity. It was a small voltage and I had it on for less than 30 seconds. I waited for them to regain control over themselves and squatted in front of them.

“That is what your definition of fun feels like, ladies,” I said with a low growl. “If I hear of any mistreatment of the wolves or the men, everyone who had a hand in this today and the next time it happens will receive the same treatment as you have, and it will be ten times more painful. Am I understood?”

They looked at me with fear and submission in their eyes and nodded. I removed the collars and they ran from the room. I put the collars back up and headed immediately to medical.

I found the doctors huddled around the wolf as they ran a body scanner over it, looking for broken bones, severed nerves, injured organs.

“Is it going to be okay,” I asked as I watched them work.

“We honestly don’t know. Its physiology is different from that of a normal wolf,” one of them said. “Look here, the bones look like they’ve shifted to accommodate a different shape. There’s multiple breaks, but they’ve been constantly broken time and time again. It’s as if the body is used to it. I’ve never seen anything like it. Even the nervous system is different. But, the most interesting find is the brain.”

He brought up the image of its’ brain and started pointing out different areas.

“These parts of the brain are active. Whereas, in a normal wolf there is no activity there. It’s been theorized in the past that those areas of the brain are where telepathy and strange powers lie.”

“But will it live,” I demanded.

“The heart has taken an alarming amount of shock,” he said, looking apologetic. “We’ve already noticed it skipping several beats and it’s slowed down considerably. We don’t know if it’ll make it through the night. I’m sorry.”

I nodded and said, “Do me a favor and find Bellamy and Clarke and ask them to come down here.”

“Of course, Octavia. We’ll leave you alone with the wolf,” he replied, and they filed out of the small room.

I walked and pulled a chair closer to the wolf’s head. It looked at me with pain filled eyes and I felt tears prickling my eyes. I reached out hesitantly, but when it didn’t move, I stroked its head. The fur was surprisingly soft, and it closed its eyes enjoying the feel.

“I’m sorry this happened to you,” I whispered. “They shouldn’t have done that. I punished the girls that started it. I shocked them to show them the pain that you’d felt. I hope I did the right thing.”

It opened its eyes and let out a soft huff. I smiled and leaned in closer. It reached out it’s tongue and licked my nose, making me giggle. The lips pulled back as if it smiled and then it closed its eyes. I watched as it breathed, my hand never leaving it.

Bellamy and Clarke came into the room and stopped just inside.

“Octavia, what do you think you’re doing,” Bellamy demanded, and I heard a soft growl coming from it. I shushed it and it complied. Opening an eye to watch me.

“Some of the guards were torturing it. Shocking it,” I said angrily. “I had it brought down here to have the doctors look it over. I don’t want it to die.”

“No, dying would be a very bad thing,” Clarke said as she stepped closer.

The wolf watched her but didn’t make any noises or move.

“The doctors don’t think it’ll live through the night. Its heart is skipping beats and slowing down,” I said sadly. “I don’t want it to be alone.”

“Why’d you bring us down here,” Bellamy asked, and the wolf growled again.

Clarke and I looked at each other in surprise and Clarke asked, “Bellamy, say something again.”

“Why?”

But that one word was enough, it growled and tried to get up. I pushed it back down and stroked it until it calmed down again.

“I don’t think it likes you,” I said curiously. “It’s like you’re getting the same treatment as you did in the city, but it considers you a threat.”

“You’re joking, right?”

It growled again, louder this time.

I leaned down and whispered, “It’s okay. He’s my brother. I need you to stay calm, okay?”

I leaned back and looked it in the eye. There was a slight nod and it relaxed.

“You know, I’ve noticed something when I’ve walked near the prisoners,” Clarke said.

“What’ve you noticed,” Bellamy asked, and the wolf didn’t respond which surprised Bell.

“When the guards walk past them, they all sneer at them. Some even spit at their feet. I thought it was because they were prisoners and the guards were guards, but what if there’s more to it than that?”

“What do you mean,” I asked, curious now.

“In the city, Bellamy was looked down upon just by his mere presence and ignored whenever he spoke. The prisoners almost seem to be acting in the same way to everyone else.”

“But why didn’t they act the same with us? I mean, you and I were treated courteously and were answered promptly whenever we asked questions.”

She shook her head, “I don’t know why, but I want to try something. An experiment if you will.”

“What kind of experiment,” Bellamy asked.

“I want Monty or Raven filming first me walking by the prisoners and then you and couple of the guards. I want to watch their reactions.”

“You know what,” I said thinking about what had happened earlier, “Have Harper and Monroe follow the guards. Something strange happened when I yelled at them. Even the prisoners acted weird when I yelled.”

“You think there’s something going on, don’t you?”

“I think so, but we won’t know until you try it.”

“Fine,” Bellamy grumbled. “I want to know the answer as much as the two of you. Are you coming, O?”

I shook my head, “No, I don’t want to leave it.”

Clarke’s walked closer and peered at the hind legs, “It is not an it. It is a she.”

“Oh, duh. I didn’t think to look to see what sex it was,” I said slightly embarrassed.

She moved her head and took my hand in her mouth and gently squeezed. Almost as if it was saying it’s alright, but don’t do it again. I smiled at her and nodded my head in understanding. She let my hand go and closed her eyes.

Bellamy and Clarke left, and I stayed in my seat, letting her know that she wasn’t alone.

Two hours later, everyone came into the room, though Harper and Monroe stayed in the back.

“I take it the experiment’s done,” I asked.

“Yeah, it is,” Raven said as she plugged the camera into the largest screen in the room. “We haven’t watched it yet. Clarke felt that you deserved to watch it with the rest of us.”

“Thanks for keeping me in your thoughts, Clarke,” I said sarcastically.

She smiled at me and Raven pressed play.

Silently we watched as Clarke walked across the screen. The prisoners all inclined their heads as she passed them. Next came Bellamy. As he walked past, their faces showed disdain and hatred. No few of them spat at his heels. The guards were treated the same way. Then came Harper and Monroe. They were treated like Clarke, but at the same time treated differently. It was almost like they treated them on a lower level of deference then Clarke but were still respectful.

“Here’s the fun part,” Raven said.

We watched as the camera was handed off and Raven walked across the screen. Raven received exactly the same way as Clarke had. Then the camera was handed off again and we watched as Monty walked by. Again, the prisoners treated him as if he were at the same level as Clarke and Raven. That was when the video ended.

“So, we know it not a female thing,” Clarke said. “There’s something different about the five of us that gives us better treatment then the rest of our people.”

Thinking, I said, “I’ll tell you something else. I growled when I was yelling. A low growl and for some reason Harper, Monroe, and some of the prisoners bared their throats in submission. Like they were recognizing that I was stronger than them?”

“She’s right,” Harper said. “When she yelled and growled, I wanted nothing more than to show her my throat, like I was offering it to her. I almost felt like I needed to whine to. It was so weird.”

“Yeah, it was,” Monroe agreed.

A soft whine broke through our conversation and we all looked down at the wolf. There was so much pain in her eyes as she strained to breath. I laid my hand on her chest and I could feel it skipping beats and slowing down. Tears sprang up and I knew she was dying.

“Guys, she’s dying. I can feel it,” I said, my voice choked with emotion.

They watched as I stroked her and whispered softly in her ear. When she died her body let out a long shudder and then she was no more. I leaned down on her body and cried. Harper and Monroe came up and laid their heads on her as well and started crying. The others remained silent, mourning the loss as well.

When my crying subsided, I looked up wiping my tears away and said, “I need to let that man know that she’s gone. Make sure that her body is placed in the morgue so that we can eventually return her to her people. And for god’s sake make damn sure that the doctors don’t try and open her up. They were absolutely fascinated by the body scans.”

Clarke nodded, “I’ll make sure it gets done, Octavia.”

“Thank you,” I said standing up.

“We’ll come to, if you don’t mind,” Monroe said.

I nodded, “You should see the end results of your carelessness. Come on.”

We left the room and walked over to the man who was working in the fields. Harper and Monroe stayed back as I approached him. He saw me, and he crumpled down to the ground, sobbing. I ran to him, knelt down, and took him in my arms. He grabbed me in despair as I comforted him.

“I’m sorry,” I said near tears again. “We did everything we could to save her, but the damage to her heart was too severe. I stayed with her to the end. She wasn’t alone.”

He nodded and continued to sob as I held him. The other prisoners neared us and as I looked around they kneeled on one knee and mourned the loss of her as well. Harper and Monroe approached slowly, and the air was filled with low growls. The girls backed up quickly and looked ashamed.

“It’s alright,” I said over the growls. “They’ve been punished. They only wish to pay their respects.”

The growls subside, and the girls neared again and took a knee a few feet away from us. I don’t know how long we stayed like that but when the man had stopped sobbing, I let him go. He got up awkwardly and held out a hand to me. I allowed him to haul me up and then he kissed the back of my hand and placed it in the middle of his forehead and then over his heart. He smiled sadly and let go and joined the other prisoners. They circled around him, comforting him. As if something was released, the wolves let out a mournful howl and sang the loss of a member of their pack. I felt the urge to join in their song and looking at Harper and Monroe as they swallowed several times, fighting the urge to do so as well.

I told the guards to release all of them for the day, wolves and men. I also told them to let the wolves stay with the men and give them a chance to mourn together. They didn’t like it, but they did as they were told.

Wearily, I walked back down to medical and made sure that she was in the morgue and in one piece.

Bellamy came up behind me and gave me a hug. I turned in his arms and sobbed into his shirt.

“Oh, Bell,” I said through my sobs. “You should have seen it. It was like a part of them had died. Like they lost more than a member. It was like they lost family.”

“We could hear the wolves in the hallway,” he said. “I’m sorry, sis. I know this wasn’t easy for you. You care so much for everybody. Just like mom used to.”

I nodded, “Thank you, Bell. That means a lot.”

I got control of myself and led him back to the room where she had been.

“I need to show you something,” I said as I turned on the screen that showed the body scans.

“What all this,” he asked as he looked at the screen.

“The doctors did a body scan looking at everything,” I said as I pointed to her skeleton and zoomed in on her leg, “Look, her leg’s been broken and rebroken in the same place multiple times. The doctor said, that it looked like her body broke the skeletal system to compensate for some kind of shift.”

“And this,” I said changing the screen to show her nervous system. “This is just as different, but they couldn’t tell me why it was.”

“Then there’s this,” I said showing her brain scan and zoomed into the portions that the doctor had pointed out to me. “This area of the brain isn’t used, but other scientists have theorized that this area is where telepathy comes from. You know, speaking mind to mind. And here, is where they think that other powers come from. This is a recording of when she was still alive. Just look at it, it seems to grow and then crumble only to do it again and again.”

“So, the doctors believe that it can speak to other wolves using telepathy and that it has strange, superhero like powers.”

“Yes,” I said excitedly. “It means that these wolves are definitely more than they appear to be. This could be an entirely new species of wolves. Maybe they mutated after the nuclear blasts.”

“It’s not impossible, but I find it really hard to believe,” he said unbelieving.

“What if we examined another wolf? One that hasn’t been shocked to death.”

“I’m not sure Clarke would go for that.”

“It wouldn’t hurt to ask, and we’ll show her this too,” I asked, almost pleading.

“Alright, O. If this is important to you, we’ll go get Clarke and ask her,” he said with a soft smile.

“Thank you, Bell. It is important,” I said as I tugged him out of the room.

When we left the room, Bellamy led the way heading to the hospital ward where the adults that had been struck by the gas attack were monitored.

Opening the doors, I inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. It was tragic seeing them laid out on the beds, all suffering in one way or another. I kept my eyes on the back of Clarke’s head as we walked down the aisle and tuned out the moans and groans that spread throughout the room.

We stopped at the edge of the bed while Clarke spoke softly with her mother. It wasn’t long before Abby fell asleep and Clarke got up, wiping tears from her face. She looked up at us and surprise and worry creased her brows.

“Is everything okay,” she asked tentatively.

“For the moment, yeah,” I said softly. “I let the prisoners and the wolves go back to their barracks to let them do whatever it is when a wolf passes.”

“That was nice of you. I heard the wolves howl before I came in here. It brought tears to my eyes just listening how mournful it was.”

I nodded, “Well, it was more emotional being right there. But, that’s not why we’re here. I’d like to show you something the doctors discovered when they examined her.”

“Alright, what is it,” she asked as we left the ward.

“They did complete body scans of her; skeletal, nervous, and a brain scan. They found some distinct discrepancies between her and the wolves that were around before the apocalypse.”

“Show me.”

I nodded and once again, showed them the various scans and explained what the doctors had told me.

“We should show this to Jasper,” Clarke said thoughtfully. “He would know what to make of this.”

“I don’t want to,” I replied. “If he sees this, I’m afraid that he’ll want to dissect her brain and I refuse to let that happen.”

“I understand how you feel, O, but trust me; he’s the go to on this one.”

I gripped the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes as I felt a bubble of anger rise in my chest and said, “I got it, Jasper needs to be brought in on this, but I want to do something first.”

“What is it?”

I opened my eyes and looking at her with all the seriousness I possessed, “I want to do a body scan on another wolf and one of the prisoners.”

“Why a prisoner,” Bellamy asked.

“Because of how they reacted when I told them about her passing. There was so much non-verbal talking that it really looked like they were communicating with one another, between themselves and the wolves.”

Clarke nodded thoughtfully and said, “Okay. We can do it, but I want Jasper here to watch the screens.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously. If he’s not here, we’re not doing it.”

I huffed in indignation, but relented nonetheless, “Alright, but not tonight. We’ll do it the day after next. Give them a chance to recover.”

“Deal,” she said and walked away, with Bellamy in tow.

I stayed there a while longer, just looking at the brain scan and watching that one spot where the section of the brain seemed to move in a very odd motion. Finally, the emotional turmoil that had plagued me all day caught up and turning off the screen, I went to bed.


	8. Octavia

A day and a half later, I headed over to the prisoners and approached the man that I had comforted. He looked up at me as I approached and lowered his eyes, waiting.

“I’m sorry to bother you, but I have a request,” I said carefully. “We’re trying to understand what’s happening and why some friends and I are treated differently than the others. When the doctors examined your wolf, they found some things that were strange. Things that we aren’t used to seeing.”

He looked at me curiously, eyes still downcast.

“I think it would help us in getting you back home, if you allow us to examine another one of your wolves and one of the other prisoners.”

He recoiled, but I held out my hand to stop him and said, “I don’t mean to scare you, but the examination will not harm you in any way. I promise. It’s a hand held machine that we run over the body taking readings. Like a scanner, completely harmless to anything, animal or plant. If you agree to this, I’ll show you how harmless it is and have them scan me first. If I thought it was dangerous, I wouldn’t do it. Do you believe me?”

He looked at his hands and then at the other prisoners in silent communication. One of them shrugged and he turned back and nodded. He walked over to one of the guards and bent down to a wolf. Once more it appeared that he was having a conversation that we were not privy to. He held out his hand to take the leash and with a nod from me the guard handed it over. He walked back over to me and waited.

I smiled, “Thank you. You have no idea what this means to me.”

I turned around and led them down into the bunker and medical. When we arrived in the examining room, there was only Clarke and Jasper waiting for us. Jasper stayed quiet for once, but I could see the excitement in his eyes.

“These two have agreed to it, but they want to see that the scan won’t hurt them. So, I told him that I’d go first, to show him that it doesn’t hurt,” I said as I took a seat on the exam table.

“That’s smart,” Clarke said as Jasper got everything ready.

“Bones or brains,” Jasper asked with the scanner in his hand.

“Bones,” I replied.

“Alright, then, lay back.”

I did, and he ran the scanner over me. Glancing at the screen, my skeleton started to appear. The man walked closer as he examined the image. When it was complete, he looked over at me and I gave him a thumb’s up. He nodded, and Jasper switched it to do a brain scan. This time he only ran it over my face and the sides and back of my head. The brain showed up and Jasper zoomed in on the same spots that the anomalies had shown up. Crazily, those same spots showed activity, the same kind of activity as the wolf had. I sat up and walked over to the screen, horrified and mesmerized at the same time. Instead of that growing and crumbling image, it looked like waves going across it. I looked over at the man confused, but he only smiled at me and nodded. 

Everyone was silent, and the man had the wolf hop onto the table. He coughed bringing our attention back to why we were here in the first place and did the procedure again on the wolf. The skeleton showed the same thing as she had and so did the brain scan, even the image was the same. The wolf jumped down and the man took his place. The process was repeated, and his brain scan showed an image of what appeared to be fire burning happily away. 

When we were done, I had a guard escort him back to the fields and closed the door behind them. 

“What the hell,” I said as I turned to face them.

Jasper had already switched back to my brain scan and was staring at it intently.

“This is absolutely fascinating,” he said to himself.

“What does it mean,” Clarke asked as we stared at it.

“It means that the man and the wolf have the same anomalies, but appear to have, maybe, different powers. If I had to take a guess as to what they would be; I’d say that the wolf’s power has something to do with growth and the man’s is fire.”

“And me,” I asked timidly.

He looked over at me and said, “By that waving motion, I’d say you have some power over water.”

“But how? I was born in the bunker just like you, just like everyone else.”

“I don’t know, but isn’t it just fascinating?”

Clarke had a thoughtful face and abruptly said, “Jasper, scan my brain.”

“Huh,” I asked.

“I’ve got a niggling idea in the back of my mind and I want to test it out. Scan my brain.”

“Alright,” he said and scanned her brain.

I stared at the screen as her brain started appearing. When Jasper was complete, they both walked closer and Jasper zoomed into the region. There wasn’t any activity that we were assuming was telepathy, but there was massive activity in the other section. It looked like a massive lightning storm. Flashes lit the area up, sometimes multiple, sometimes singular. We stared, stunned.

Then Jasper took the scanner and ran it over his own head on impulse. He showed activity over the same section but showed the same as the two wolves had. The growing and the crumbling.

“That explains why the man, or the wolf didn’t react to you, Jasper,” Clarke said.

“We need to get the others down here, pronto,” I said, and they looked at me.

“You’re absolutely right,” she said and pulled out the communicator.

“Guys come down to the examination room, you’re not going to believe what we just discovered,” she said and there was a babble of voices cascading from it.

While we waited, Jasper labeled the brain scans, so we’d know who’s was who’s. Soon enough, Monty, Raven, Harper, Monroe, and Bellamy showed up in various stages of confusion. Without preamble, Jasper took the scanner ran it over everybody’s head and labeled the scans.

“So, what’s the unbelievable news,” Bellamy asked as he leaned against the far wall.

Clarke turned to Jasper and he began explaining, “So, you all know that we were going to scan a wolf and one of the prisoners today. These are their scans. Notice the same activity in the area, that we’ll call telepathy from now on. Now, when we zoom into the other area that showed activity in the dead wolf, you see that the healthy wolf has the same image as the first, but the man’s looks like fire.”

“Okay, what does this tell us,” Monty asked.

“Not much, but it looks like they have telepathic powers, probably a result of the radiation. The area we’re looking at here seems to indicate that they have powers, like superpowers in the old comic books. Those two show growth of some sort and his looks like fire.”

They all stared at him blankly, making him continue, “Anyway, to show that the scanner was harmless, Octavia went first, and this is what showed up on her brain scan.”

He showed mine and everyone leaned in to look closer, “As you can see, she has the same telepathic activity as the others, but her ‘power’ seems to be over water.”

He switched to Clarke’s and said, “This is Clarke’s brain. She doesn’t have telepathy, but the power region shows what appears to be lightening. And this is mine. Again, no telepathy, but it shows the growth image.”

He pulled up Raven’s brain scan and he zoomed in, “This is interesting. It’s similar to Clarke’s with the bit of light movement, but there looks like ones and zeroes lighting up as the light passes from one end to the other. Maybe something to do with technology.”

He pulled up Harper’s next and it showed the telepathy and an image of what could only be described as wind or air. Monty’s was next, and it looked just like Raven’s. Monroe’s showed the telepathy, but the power activity was dimly lit, and you could just make out growth. Bellamy’s showed nothing, but a normal, healthy brain.

“Should I be bummed that it looks like I’m the weakest out of everyone,” Monroe said with a forced laugh.

We tittered, and Harper gave her a hug.

“So, Jasper any theories,” Bellamy asked.

“Maybe. It appears that whatever affected the wolves and men also affected the seven of us. It would explain why we’re treated differently than anyone else. I could run brain scans over everyone, but I think that would be a waste of time.”

“Well, I want to know why Monroe, Harper and I show telepathy and why the rest of you don’t.”

“I’d say you’re in closer relation to our prisoners. Meaning that whatever they are, you are as well.”

“Then what the fuck are they,” Bellamy asked frustrated.

“You’re guess is as good as any. I don’t have a clue”

“Perfect. You have superpowers while the rest of us are mundane.”

Monty and Raven quietly hashed something else and then turned their attention to us.

“I think this might also explain some things about ourselves,” said Raven.

“Raven and I are extremely very good at all things electrical and especially with electronics. I think it’s how we were able to build the shield and make it impenetrable. Along with the long range communicators and getting the electricity up and running, down here and up there.”

“And Jasper, you are mad insane when it comes to science, especially in chemistry. Think of all those recreational drugs you cultivated,” Raven said with a sly grin.

“I have no knowledge of which you speak, Raven. I have done nothing of the sort,” he replied with a grin.

“Whatever, dead head.”

“But the four of us? We’re not really spectacular at anything. No offense, Clarke,” I said.

“No offense taken, but you’re right. The four of us don’t really seemed inclined to any particular skill set.”

“It’s why Monroe and I are in the guards,” Harper said. “It seems like it was the only thing we were remotely good at.”

“So, what the hell are we and what do we do now,” I asked to no one in particular.


	9. Nyx

When I arrived at the border, the patrol spent the hour I waited for Ben to show up giving me death glares and baring their teeth at me. I smiled and waved, looking like I didn’t give a damn about what they were doing, but inwardly I was seething. I hated being here. I didn’t want anything to do with this damn place, not after what happened. Not after the banishment and the kill order. This place was no longer my home, but why did I give in? At the barest mention of being allowed back into the pack, my resolve had melted, and I’d come running back to the people who hated me. To the one person, I didn’t have the courage to see again.

When Ben finally arrived, I heaved a huge sigh of relief. I got off the bike and checked on Ben, making sure he was alright. He gave me a grin and a thumbs up, making me smile. I walked over to the gate and let them know we were ready to move on. They very reluctantly, very slowly raised the gate and I climbed back on my bike. Revving, I took off but slow enough that Ben could easily follow me. 

I couldn’t help myself as I breathed in the forest relishing in the aroma of all things growing. I didn’t want to admit this to myself, but deep in my bones and in the deepest part of my soul, I had missed this place. Running with the pack, dodging in and out of trees and jumping over ravines and rivers. I was once happy here and then it turned into nothing but a nightmare. I pushed the memories away forcefully and concentrated on the dirt road in front of me. I could hear the truck hitting each and every dip and hill as it creaked, groaned, and revved as it made it’s way. 

An hour and a half later we pulled up in front of the mansion in the center of Clifton. The home of de Pakstoka, current residence of one Lexa Devereux. The drive went around the central piece that was meant to draw the eye, a fountain with it’s on version of the Capitoline Wolf. Looking at it, I much preferred the one in the museum back in Old Towne. The wings of the mansion ran perpendicular from the main part of the building, closing the drive on either end. With the second story of the wings being nothing more than a long balcony interlaid with outdoor furniture. It was done in yellows and white with gray mixed in for contrast. We drove past the entrance and were greeted by Gustus and his security detail. I purposely made a show of removing all of my weapons and putting them in the back of the truck as Ben got out and walked around to me. I closed it up and he locked it, placing a ward over it. Gustus quirked an eyebrow but said nothing.

His men surrounded us as we entered the mansion and we were escorted to the back of the house into the area that was reserved for business. The guards took stations on either side of the double doors that led to the personal office. The interior of the office was done in dark chestnut and cherry woods. The walls were lined with floor to ceiling bookshelves filled with books and small works of art. On the opposite side of the door there was a huge fireplace with a painting of Historic Clifton. A small antique clock took center place on the mantel and candelabras adorned the ends.

The center of the room had an oriental rug done in rich reds, blues, and greens as if it was a landscape. There was a low coffee table with leather arm chairs on either end and leather couches along the length of the table. Lamps and end tables completed the surrounding of the table. Looking to my left, there were three large windows that went floor to ceiling looking out into the garden in the backyard. In front of the windows was an antique desk that made me want to run my fingers over it every time I saw it. The rest of the room was insignificant and did little to draw my attention.

“Lexa will be here shortly,” Gustus said. “Have a seat.”

I looked at him, but all I was met with was a glare. I sighed and took a seat on one of the armchairs. Ben sat on the couch facing towards the doors and sat as close to me as possible, while staring at everything in the room. I closed my eyes and inhaled the rich smell of leather and let my mind wander while I kept an ear out for her arrival.

“I’m sorry to keep you waiting, but there was an issue between the Gardners and Winstons that needed my attention,” she said as she entered the room.

I looked up at her and my breath caught in my throat. She was as beautiful as ever and her eyes seemed to bore straight into my soul. I stood up quickly and bowed as was protocol and Ben quickly did the same.

“Pakstoka, thank you for allowing us in your home,” I said as I straightened. 

“Thank you for coming,” she answered and then shooed us back down, “But please sit. I know the roads make travel tiresome.”

I inclined my head but didn’t sit down until she did. We quietly waited while a server came in and poured us drinks and handed them out. He left and closed the door behind him. I took a sip of the wine and rolled it around my tongue, enjoying the sudden bursts of flavor before I finally swallowed. 

Lexa took her own sip and asked, “How have you been, Nyx?”

“Well. Still alive,” I replied, “And you?”

“The same,” she answered with a smile.

“Ah, Ms. Devereux, before I forget, I’d like to introduce you to my partner, Ben. He’s a techno mage.”

She inclined her head and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ben. I hope you enjoy your stay with us.”

“Th-th-thank you, ma’am,” he stammered out and immediately downed his wine, not even tasting it.

“You’ll have to forgive him. He’s very shy around people.”

“I understand,” she said with a smile. “But Nyx, you don’t have to be so formal with me.”

I shook my head, “You’ve hired me for a job, Ms. Devereux. As such, you are my client and we will treat you as such. Given names are taboo in the business, creates a familiarity that best be kept out of the job.”

Her face fell, but she regained her composure and said, “Very well, then. Gustus has explained some of what has been going on here?”

“He has. There’s been a settlement established within the boundary if Manassas. You’ve sent five teams of four to investigate, but none have returned. You don’t know if they’ve been captured or killed. You’ve hired me to find out if they are alive.”

“It’s more than finding out if they’re alive, Nyx. I want to know who these people are and why they’re on my land without permission.”

I nodded, “That’s easy enough to ascertain. We’ve already identified three of them. Ben, the photos.”

Ben pulled out the photos and handed them to Lexa. She looked them over as she waited for me to explain.

“They arrived in town about two weeks ago. I’d say around the same time as Gustus came to visit me. They spoke with the Garrison Commander in regards to the capture of your pack members. So, for all intents and purposes, we can assume that they’re all still alive. They wish to rectify the situation because, as they stated to the Commander, they were new to the area and did not know the correct protocol or procedures to handle the situation they’ve landed themselves in.”

“Was the Commander able to provide you with names to these three?”

“No he was not, but I had a run in with the blonde woman. She called herself Clarke. Beyond that, I know nothing.”

“A run in?”

I sighed, “I picked her up in a bar the night Gustus visited me. We got a bit more comfortable elsewhere.”

There was a flash of something in her eyes, but she just smiled and said, “Isn’t that par for the course.”

“We are what we are, ma’am.”

“Is there anything else you can tell me about them?”

“Clarke is a lightening mage, but she doesn’t seem to be aware of it. Her touch continuously sent electricity up my arms. Pleasant feeling, really.”

“And the other two?”

“The other girl is something, don’t know what exactly. The male is human.”

Her mouth curled in distaste at the mention of human. I couldn’t blame her, every time I saw one, said or heard the word human, I wanted nothing more then to throw up. Humans were that distasteful to me. How anyone could stand to be near one made me ill.

She looked up from the photos and asked, “Is there anything you’ll be needing from us?”

“Just a room with an attached bathroom and a cot. That way we can set up Ben’s lab and we can start coordinating a plan of how to approach the situation.”

“It’ll be done,” she said as she stood up and we followed, “I had your old room set up for you, if that’s alright?”

“That’ll be just fine. I won’t be doing much sleeping in there anyway. Now, if you’ll excuse us, Ms. Devereux, we’d like to begin unpacking the equipment.”

“Of course, I’ll have some men sent to help you.”

“That won’t be necessary, thank you. Ben doesn’t like strangers to touch his things.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize.”

“No worries. Thank you.”

With a incline of the head, I left the office with Ben following, and headed back to the truck. We got to work immediately. I stored my weapons more properly and we started off loading the equipment Ben would need to set up his lab. Sturdy table, monitors, computer, wires, tools, welding torch, and everything else a techno mage could find a use for. With our arms laden, we were guided to the opposite side of the house and to a room that met our needs. We soon had the equipment in the room and Ben started unpacking. I went back out to the truck, closed it up, and hefted my bike on the side of it before I drove it to the garage. I placed the ward back on and walked into Ben’s lab and got to work on setting everything up. 

When it was done, I asked Ben, “Are you okay here?”

“Yeah, boss. This is one of the nicer places I’ve had the lab set up in,” he replied as he connected the computer to the servers back home.

“Good. There’s going to be someone outside the door if you need anything. I’m going to go for a run, it’s been too long and I need to stretch my legs.”

“Won’t you get into trouble,” he asked worriedly.

“No, but I know how not to get caught out here. I’ll check on you when I get back.”

“Sure thing. Take the comms with you, though. I’ve rigged it so that even in your wolf form, you’ll still be able to hear me.”

I hugged and gave him a kiss on the head, “Thanks, Ben. I’ll see you soon.”

He nodded and I was headed to the back yard, fitting the ear piece in snugly. As soon as I got passed the first line of trees, I shifted and took off running. It felt so good to be running again. To feel the earth beneath my paws, the wind whipping through my fur, the aromas of the forest assaulting my nose and down the back of my throat. I let go and the wolf took over as we ran over lands that we had crossed many times before. We knew every nook and cranny. Every stream, every cave, everything. A short time later, I slowed down as we came across very familiar territory. I climbed up the mountain and then made my way down to a very special ledge that over looked the lake. I plopped on the ledge and stretched out, tongue lolling out of the side of my mouth as I panted to cool myself down. It was pure bliss and I wanted to enjoy it for as long as I could. I closed my eyes to the sun and just became one with nature. With the life force that surrounded me.

There was a tumble of rock from above me and I glanced up. It was Lexa. I turned my attention back to the water and ignored her descent.

I knew this would be the first place you’d come to, she said teasingly.

You’re ruining my view, I answered.

That’s not what you used to say, she said as she padded closer.

That was a long time ago. Another lifetime.

How can you be so sure of that, she asked as she began to nuzzle my neck fur and gently nipped the scruff.

I closed my eyes and tried fight off the sensations she was creating. I rolled my shoulders and neck dislodging her from continuing.

Why are you here, I asked irritably.

I thought we might talk, she said laying down beside me.

I looked over at her and asked, And what is there to talk about?

I don’t know. Maybe why you accepted the job?

I accepted the job because of the money and your promise to lift the kill order and my banishment from the Forest Pack territory.

Not my intention of accepting you back into the pack?

No. I have no interest in rejoining the pack. I only want to be able to move around on the lands. This was once my home, don’t you think I’ve been away from it for too long?

You’ve been away from a lot of things for too long, Nyx.

It doesn’t matter. I’m only here for the job. I want to make sure the Coalition has no reason to enter into this conflict if it can be stopped within your territories.

Do you still care about us?

I only care about wasted lives. If I can save your pack, it makes my life easier.

She sighed and laid on her side looking at me.

Every time I look at you like this, Nyx…

Hmm…

I want you.

Then don’t look at me and those feelings will fade.

But they haven’t, Nyx. Your absence has only made me want you more. 

I glared at her and said, I can’t say the feeling is mutual. I don’t want you.

You’re lying. I can smell the desire.

You only smell yourself. There is nothing left for you here.

Nyx…

Don’t. You made your choice quite clear eight years ago when you banished me from the pack and placed that kill order on me. 

Nyx, I…

You what?! You feel bad about punishing me. You regret turning your back on me. Tell me!

I, I…

That’s right. You don’t know. Well, forget it. The time for words is long past. There is no us. There never was.

I got to my feet and with a running leap, I dove down into the lake shifting in mid fall. When I resurfaced and looked back up at the ledge she was gone. I swam to the water’s edge and walked out. I shifted again and shook the water loose from my coat. I headed back to mansion slower then I had left and returned shortly before dark. 

I checked on Ben and let him know I was back. Then I headed to my old room. Entering it was like going back in time. Nothing had been touched or removed. The room had been dusted and set to rights. I locked the memory away and stripped my damp clothes off and headed for the bathroom. Stepping into the shower was almost like stepping back home. There was no Lexa, no job, no mansion, just me and the shower that closed me off from the world. 

Because I felt safe, I let my guard down. Letting my guard down led to me being attacked in the shower. My attacker slammed into me through the glass and into the wall. I groaned in pain as I pushed him off of me. I followed right behind him and stomped on his groined. He howled in pain and grabbed my legs, knocking me down. My head hit the marble lip of the shower and I saw stars tinged with black. I pushed it back and crouched with a shard of glass in my hand. My focus sharpened on him and him alone. He lunged at me, but I easily dodge out of his way, stabbing down onto his back. The glass embedded itself and he growled. I quickly ran for the door, but he tackled me, knocking my head on the ground. This time the wave of dizziness made it harder to think. He got on top of me and started punching his way up my back. I growled in anger and then he had his hands around my neck and was starting to squeeze. I tried to dislodge him, but the more I struggled, the more he seemed to weigh. I was running out of time as I felt my lungs struggle to bring in air. I reached out and telekinetically found the shards of glass. I flung them at him with a mental shove and they found their mark, two instantly severing his neck and one in the base of his skull. His hands loosened and he fell on top of me, dead. I crawled out from underneath him and into the bedroom where I lay trying to get enough air in my lungs, fight off nausea, and the threatening need to pass out. I pressed the side of my head to stem off a wave of dizziness and felt the ear comm.

I pressed it and hoarsely said, “Ben…Ben…need help…bedroom.”

I heard him curse loudly and begin yelling at the guard. I tapped my ear and the comm went silent. I laid my head on my knees and concentrated on just breathing as waves of nausea and dizziness threatened to consume me. My door crashed open and bodies rushed in. Ben skidded to my side and forced my head to look at him. He was blurry and seemed to quadruple in number. Definitely a concussion. My throat hurt and I didn’t dare to talk. My body felt like one huge bruise and I could feel blood running down me from the hundreds of pieces of glass that I had crawled through and those that had hit me as he broke through the glass pane.

Ben looked up at someone and said, “She’s got a bad concussion. There’s glass lodged everywhere in her. She needs a healer.”

“There’s one on the way. Do you think we can move her,” Lexa asked, concern lacing her voice.

I wanted to look at her, but I was afraid that if I moved my head, I might lose whatever was in my stomach.

My brain was so fuzzy, that I knew I couldn’t even talk to her telepathically.

“Who was he, Gustus,” Lexa demanded.

“One of the survivors from eight years ago,” Gustus replied.

“How did he get in here?”

“I don’t know, ma’am. He shouldn’t have been anywhere near the mansion. He patrols on the Northwest border.”

“Find out. Now!”

“Yes, Pakstoka,” he said and footsteps rushed out of the room.

It felt like forever before the healer finally arrived. Ben stepped aside to allow the woman to take a closer look. She touched my head and closed her eyes. I didn’t feel anything, but we usually didn’t feel each other’s powers when we used it on one another. She opened her eyes and took my head in her hands as she gently moved it back and forth. 

“Well,” Lexa demanded.

“Severe concussion, broken ribs, bruised organs, multiple cuts with glass imbedded inside and a bruised trachea.”

“Can you help her,” Ben asked worriedly.

“Of course I can, young man. Help me lay her out on the floor.”

Between the three of them, they got me laid out and the healer got to work. She pushed out every piece of glass and I writhed in pain, whimpering. Lexa held me down as the healer held my head in her lap. When the last of the glass left, I felt the blood slow and start to clot. The pain that covered my whole body eased and I could swallow with a minimum of pain. The nausea and dizziness receded as the concussion was lessened. She sighed in relief as she laid my head gently down. 

“I’ve done what I could to allow her body to heal on its own. I wouldn’t recommend her shifting until the concussion if fully gone, which should be in the next day or so.”

“Thank you,” Lexa said.

“I’d also clean her off before you get her back in bed. She’s lost a surprising amount of blood. She should’ve been unconscious when I got here.”

“You don’t know Nyx, healer. She a very stubborn bitch,” Ben said with a small chuckle.

“Indeed,” Lexa said agreeing with him. “We’ll get her cleaned up. Thank you again.”

“My pleasure, Pakstoka,” she said and left the room. 

I just lay there unmoving as they began cleaning me up before they moved me to the bed. There was a bustle of movement coming from the bathroom and I knew someone was cleaning up in there. I felt unconsciousness dragging me down into a sea of blackness and finally let myself go.

Being woken up every couple of hours wasn’t too bad. I’d often hear a humming in my head, a hand holding my own, stroking my hair, a wet nose nuzzling me behind my ear, a tongue cleaning a cut, fur beneath my hand, or just a heavy comforting weight against me.

After I had been allowed to sleep undisturbed for a longer period of time, I woke up on my own, still feeling groggy and there was mild pain going across my chest. The extreme downside of broken ribs, the pain tended to linger. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, looking around me. The mess had been completely cleaned up and there was a slight citrus smell to the room. I was still naked, but it didn’t really matter. Nudity was never a problem for me. I only walked around the house clothed for Ben’s sake. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up, a bit wobbly. Walking into the bathroom, I saw that the shower was fixed. I still felt dirty so I got in a took a quick shower. 

I combed, brushed and braided my hair before I left and went digging through the drawers and closet for something to wear. Apparently, Lexa had really left the room alone. All my old clothes still hung on the hangers, underthings still in the drawers. I walked into the closet and dressed. Walking out I was greeted by a white wolf with brown eyes and a black nose. I let out a small scream and threw it across the room. It landed with a thud and I cautiously walked around the bed to look at it. It was a she and she was already sitting up and shifting. When I saw who it was, I wilted and sat on the bed.

“Gaia, what the fuck,” I exclaimed as I looked at her.

She was still shaking her head, clearing it, then she looked up at me with a small smile, “You remember me.”

“Yeah, I remember you, squirt. Come here,” I said and pulled her into a hug. “You’ve grown.”

She chuckled, “Not so squirt-like now, am I.”

“No, you’re not. Now, you actually look your age and not a little kid. What are you doing here?”

She sat next to me on the bed and said, “Lexa wanted someone she could trust absolutely to watch over you while you slept.”

I nodded, “She doesn’t trust Gustus to do it. I take it that one of his men allowed the man to slip through?”

“Yeah, but I gotta ask. How did you not see me at the foot of the bed?”

“The comforter is white, the footboard is white, you are extremely white. With your eyes closed and your snout covered, you’re invisible. I just did not see you. At all.”

She laughed, “I’ve missed you, Nyx.”

“I’ve missed you, too. How’s your mother?”

“She’s doing well. We don’t really see much of each other anymore.”

“Why?”

“She’s not happy that I joined the Order.”

Surprised, I gave her a closer look. She was indeed in a novitiate’s uniform and it suited her. She’d always had this aura about her that seemed not to be so earth bound as the rest of us.

“You were Called,” I said with a smile.

She nodded, “I was. You’re not surprised.”

“No. There was always something more about you. You only ever had one foot on the ground.”

“That’s exactly how I felt, Nyx. Lexa is on her up by the way.”

I gave her a wry grin, “Figured. Thank you for keeping an eye on me.”

“Your welcome. I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“Me, too. This is the second time in two weeks that someone’s really put forth the effort to try and kill me. It’s not fun.”

“No, I expect not.”

There was a knock on the door and Lexa opened it. She greeted me with a smile and I smiled back.

“How are you feeling,” she asked as she came over and sat on the ottoman that was on the other side of the footboard.

“Good, there’s only some residual pain from my ribs. Has anything changed in Manassas?”

“No. We’re keeping our distance. They’ve got some kind of electrical shield over their compound. Our drones can’t get close enough to get a good look.”

I smiled and said, “Ah, but you didn’t use our drones. You’ll be in for a treat once I get out there with the truck. Ben’s babies are something.”

“Explain,” she asked as she leaned in closer.

“Ben has about five modified drones. They run on solar power, so they can stay up indefinitely without the need to come down and recharge. They’ve got telescopic lenses that can zoom in perfectly from a mile above with no distortion to the images. Video and photographic capture. Normal vision, night vision, infrared, energy readout, and our favorite: we can read signatures. We can distinguish human from were and mages. They each show up as a different color. We’ll be able to tell how many of each there are. Plus side too, is that electrical interference doesn’t bother them.”

“Ben did all of that?”

“Yes and more. Just recently he developed a new type of bug. They can be dropped from a distance and find their own way to prime recording areas. When they’re deactivated, you’d never know they were there.”

“Man’s a genius,” Gaia said deeply impressed.

“I like to think so, that’s why I snatched him up when every other Enforcer or company ignored him. He’s my little secret weapon.”

“Are you hungry,” Lexa asked.

I grinned, “Starving.”

“I’ll have Chef whip you up something. Still sear your meat?”

“Yes, I like a little crisp to my raw.”

“Then let’s go down stairs and get you fed,” she said standing up.

We followed her down the stairs and into the informal dining room. She left to let Chef know that we were hungry. I left briefly and got Ben and came back with him in tow and the maps of Manassas proper and the outlying landscape. Lexa showed me where the invaders had set up camp and gave me about a three mile radius surrounding what looks like could have been the town hall. Laying the topographic map over the city map, I looked for various safe zones and open ridge lines that would give us a proper view while staying out of range of any weapons they might have.

When the food arrived and in between bites we started to hash out a plan to pull off a successful recon.

“Okay,” I said pointing to a spot on the map with a piece of bone, “this is where I’ll set the truck. It gives me privacy and an easy way to launch and land the drones. It’s also about three-quarters of a mile from this ridge line. That gives me prime spot to look out over their camp without having to worry about getting shot or something.”

“What’s the plan once you get there,” Lexa said looking at the map.

“Super easy. Launch the drones, send them over five quadrants and let them record. We watch and we learn. And we make sure your people are alive. After you get the information you need, the balls in your court.”

“Easy enough, but I don’t want you to go out there alone. There might be a way for us to contact my people. I want someone who can speak on my behalf. Someone they’ll listen to.”

“Alright, I’ll concede that to you. Who do have in mind?”

She looked up at me and then over at Gaia and said, “I want Gaia to go with you.”

Gaia looked up in surprise and asked, “Why? I’m a novitiate, not a scout or patrolman.”

“Nyx is the scout. If they know that there’s someone there who’s part of the Order, they’re going to trust Nyx more. That’s why, you,” Lexa said.

“I guess,” she said reluctantly.

“At least having you there will help me pass the time,” I said, laughing. “Recon is probably the most boring part of this job. I’m just glad I don’t have to sneak in and try to avoid people and cameras and whatever else they got. Much safer. I like safe.”

“Yeah, safe is good,” Ben said seriously. “After these last two weeks, I’m not sure that you’ll survive a third.”

“O ye of little faith, my dear friend,” I replied. “There’s not much trouble I can get in out there. I’m not planning on engaging with them.”

“What if they engage you?”

“What do you think those mounted guns are for. They’re not just decorations,” I replied saucily.

“Hmph,” he said crossing his arms across his chest and pouting.

“Oh, come on, Ben. Gaia’s as good a fighter as everyone else here is. She trained under one of the best fighters in the pack. We’ll be fine.”

“Whatever, Nyx. I’m going back to my computers,” he said and left the room.

I sighed and poured myself a drink, looking idly at the map.

“You really scared him, Nyx,” Lexa said coming to sit next to me.

“I know. It even scares me and you know that there’s very few things that do. I just don’t know what to tell him. It’s unprecedented to have two incidents in two weeks. I’m hardly ever in any serious danger on my jobs. If I see potential danger, I plan for it and plan contingencies on that plan and so on. I’ve only needed a healer once or twice in the five years we’ve worked together.”

“You’ve never been hurt or injured on a job,” Gaia asked.

“Oh, that I have and plenty of times. I’m referring to the extent of these last two times. Injury is par for the course in my line of work.”

“What exactly is an Enforcer?”

“A little bit of this and a little bit of that. Spy, counter intelligence, bounty hunter, assassin, negotiator, and whatever else my client might need. I’m a jack of all trades.”

“And you’re an independent contractor for the Coalition and on Old Towne’s payroll,” Lexa asked.

“Mm-hmm,” I answered taking a drink.

“You’ve done well.”

“Yeah, well. You do what you gotta do to survive,” I replied standing up, suddenly irritated. “If you’ll excuse me, Ms. Devereux. I’m growing tired and we’ll be leaving at first light.”

She realized her mistake and looked ashamed as she said, “Of course, it was rude of me to keep you up since you’ve just recently gotten well.”

I inclined my head and turned to Gaia, “First light. Don’t be late,” and left the dining room.

As soon as I closed my bedroom door behind me I threw my clothes in the corner of the room and slipped underneath my covers. I was still awake when Gaia came into the room. She was taking her duty serious.

“Sleep in which ever form you want, Gaia, but the bed’s way more comfortable between the covers then over them. I’m just going to sleep,” I said to her and turned away facing the bathroom. I heard her undress and then felt the bed dip as she crawled in.

Sleep didn’t come easily and the dreams only made it worse.


	10. Nyx

I woke up as irritable as I’d gone to bed, but pushed it aside as I dug through my work clothes. Dark clothes that wouldn’t catch on anything or reflect off of light. I rebraided my hair and after putting on my boots, I headed to the kitchen. Chef had already packed a week’s worth of food and drinks. I grabbed a thermos of coffee and took the food then headed out to the truck. I disabled the ward and jumped inside. Tying down the food and setting the thermos in the front console, I double checked everything inside and outside of the truck making sure everything was in working order. Stepping back out of the truck, satisfied with my inspection, I sat on the bumper and sipped some of the coffee. Ben came ambling out in a better mood and we chatted as I waited for Gaia to show up. She came running out of the doors, worry etching her face.

“I’m so sorry, Nyx,” she said breathless. “I was talking with Mother.”

“It’s fine, Gaia. Just get in the truck,” I said and stood up.

“Be careful, Nyx,” Ben said.

“I will,” I said giving him a hug. “I’ll let you know when we get there.”

“Alright,” he said and walked back into the house.

I watched him until the door shut and then went to the driver’s side and climbed in. I turned the ignition and as soon as it had warmed up, we were heading cross country to the rendezvous spot. It took us a better part of the day getting there, but we arrived safe and sound. I clambered over the seats and began to turn on the equipment, letting it warm up.

“Hey, Big Ben, it’s your favorite Goddess of the Night, read me,” I said in to the comms unit.

“Read you loud and clear, beautiful lady. You arrived safely,” he replied,

“Like a newborn in swaddling clothes, we’re wrapped up nice and tight.”

“Good. How’s the ‘quip looking?”

“Beautiful. Everything appears to be in working order. We just literally got here, so I’m not ready to fly the girls yet. I want to head up the ridge line with Gaia and get a better view of the shield and an eye account of the area.”

“Sounds like a plan. Let me know.”

“Will do, big bro. Nyx, out.”

Gaia laughed from her seat up front and I looked over at her with a quirked brow.

“I don’t remember you ever speaking like that. Joking,” she explained.

I grinned, “It’s not something there was a lot of time for back then, was there? Now, I take the fun where I can get it. Keeps me from ravishing all the poor lonely farm girls out there.”

Her eyes widened in shock and I laughed. She joined in as she realized I was joking.

“I know we’re a horny bunch, but I do have morals, Gaia,” I said, smiling. “Come on, feel like a run?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

We climbed out of the truck and shifted as we ran to the ridge line. Stopping at the crest, we took in the view. 

Do you see the shield, I asked Gaia.

Yes.

See how it curves from the pinnacle until it reaches the ground?

Like half of a globe.

Yes. Now, we’ve been told that nothing can get in or out. I believe to stray on the closer side of caution and assume that is not so. We may not be able to get in, but things may be able to get out.

Like bullets, missiles and things like that?

Exactly. We treat if as if it is something to avoid. We can’t risk getting too close.

Do you think we could still be out of range of their weapons if we go to the next ridge down there?

I looked at where she pointed out and doing some calculations said, Yes. We should be, but don’t let your guard down for one minute. We’re coming into their territory now. We act accordingly.

She nodded and we ran down the ridge and up to the top of the next one. When we stopped, we were close enough to hear voices clamoring in fear. We’d been spotted. I stopped Gaia from turning around because I wanted to see what they would do.

Why are we not running? Do you not hear them?

I hear them, Gaia. We are still out of range of most man-made weapons. Be still a moment. Watch. Listen.

 

CLARKE

The alarms and shouting drew us outside the hall and we took off running for the gate.

“What is it,” I yelled at a passing guard.

“Wolves,” he hollered back.

“We need eyes,” Raven shouted and turned away and ran off to her lab.

We continued running and then we were all climbing the gate tower that overlooked the surrounding area.

The guard handed Bellamy and me each a pair of binoculars. I looked through them and was surprised to see two wolves just sitting there. One was massive and completely black. The other was its opposite, but only slightly smaller. Bigger than normal wolves. As we watched, they did no more then watch us as well.

I turned my attention away from them when I heard someone running up the stairs. It was Raven and she had a small drone in her hands and a video screen.

We made room for her and set about getting the drone ready for launch. 

“I thought you told us that nothing can leave the shield once it was up,” Bellamy asked.

“Nothing can. No projectiles of any kind just like none can enter from out there,” she said as continued to set it up. “Monty and I’ve modified this so that it has a shield of its own and can interact with the bigger one allowing it through. Don’t you want to get a closer look?”

“Well, yeah, but…”

“Then let me do my job, Bellamy.”

Soon, she had the drone airborne and she flew it closer to the shield wall that was directly opposite of the two wolves. We all peered at the small screen as she zoomed in on them. They just sat there, taking everything in. Occasionally, it looked like the black one was pointing things out to the smaller, white one. Even to the point of using it’s paws to point them out.

“They’re acting like they’re having a conversation and the black one is pointing things of interest to the white one,” Raven said fascinated.

The black one would occasionally look up at the drone and one time it winked at us.

“Did it just wink,” Bellamy asked as he leaned closer.

“It looked like it. I’m gonna send the drone out of the shield now.”

We watched as it began to cross through the shield, the video messing up a little, but then it was through and flew closer to the wolves. The white one saw the drone approach and it raised its hackles, but the black one laid a paw across its shoulders and nuzzled its ears, calming it. The white one calmed and the black one let go.

The black one walked closer to the drone and seemed to look closer at it. It turned its head back to the white one. The white one nodded and seemed to relax more.

“What are they doing,” I asked, puzzled by their behavior.

“They’re studying us,” Octavia replied. “Look at how their heads are constantly moving and their noses move in the air. This is the first time that we’ve come across a pair that isn’t trying to get inside. These two are smarter.”

Suddenly, something pinged against the drone’s shield, rocking it slightly as the big one shook it’s head as if it was hit.

“What just happened,” Bellamy asked.

“It threw something at the shield,” Raven said, not understanding what happened either. “Whatever was thrown hit the black one in the head. But, it doesn’t look pissed. In fact, is it shrugging at the white one?”

Looking, it did appear that the black one was shrugging as the white one shook it’s head at the others idiot idea. The black one walked back over to the white one and with it’s tail high in the air swished it back and forth like a woman would do if she wanted her attention to be drawn to her backside.

“Is it sashaying,” someone asked.

“I was just thinking that,” I said in disbelief. “What the hell are these wolves? They’re acting like people. Like us.”

 

Nyx

That was a stupid idea, Nyx, Gaia said as I came to a stop by her and sat looking at the compound again.

Didn’t hurt to see what would happen. It’s just a video drone. It’s not dangerous.

Hmph. We’ll see about that.

I looked at her with a grin and said, Ready to try something else?

What did you have in mind?

Well, seeing as you were called by the Order and you accepted. Wanna try something that only members of the Order can do?

What is it?

It’s something similar that the Pakstoka can do. Communicate with all pack members. But what the Order does is something different, but similar. The Order can communicate on a more spiritual level. More in tune with our connection with Mother Earth. A more primal level of communication. It’s a connection that once given can never be severed.

How do you know about this? I have only begun learning about it.

When I was younger, my uncle was Called and we spent many nights discussing what it is a priest or priestess provides to all weres. Not just those within a pack. So you wanna give it a try.

What would I say?

Just let them know that we know they are alive and that Pakstoka is working on a way to bring them all home. Tell them to be strong and have faith. Maybe not those words, but something of that nature. The words have to come from your heart and soul, Priestess.

How do I do it?

Alright, close your eyes. Deep inhale, slow exhale. Deep inhale, start feeling the ground beneath your feet, slow exhale, Deep inhale, feel yourself beneath the ground you sit upon, slow exhale. Deep inhale, reach further into Mother Earth and find your personal connection with her, slow exhale. Keep breathing slow and steady and reach beyond yourself and search for others like us, calling them gently to you. That’s right, just like that. The Mother will provide you the strength to reach those within our small circle. You provide the will to bring them within your open arms. Can you feel them gathering?

Yes…

Good. When you feel that all have been gathered, speak. Let the words flow from your soul. Let your love for them flow from your heart. Let them know they’re prayers have been heard.

Brothers, sisters. I beseech you to listen with an open mind and open heart. You have been found. Pakstoka has found you. Your Priestess has found you. Have faith, my children, for we will bring you home. Have strength that you will run free in the forest soon. Have love knowing that Pakstoka and the Order love you all in return. Be at peace, my brothers and sisters. For you are no longer lost. You are no longer alone. We are here.

Good. Now gently release them from your arms. Like the wind carries away the seeds of the dandelion. Let them flow to their own connections with the Mother. Good. Now thank the Mother for providing you strength as you slowly return from her and travel back through the ground and out of the ground and into yourself.

She opened her eyes and there was so much love and peace in them that it made my heart sing with joy.

Mother Earth has provided, how will you show respect, Gaia?

She looked between her paws and bent down until her nose touched the ground. As she slowly raised her head a single bloom began to grow. As it grew, it blossomed into a beautiful white rose. 

Perfect, Gaia. Mother Earth thanks you.


	11. Octavia

I stood there watching the wolves on the screen as if the black one was instructing the white one. The white one nodded once and closed its eyes. Less then a minute later, I felt a gentle pull. Something asking me to join it. A pull that felt ancient and strong. I closed my eyes and felt warmth as the pull brought me down beneath the surface, deep into the earth. There was love, strength and all matters of the heart that a mother gives her child. I felt tears fall down my face as I remembered my mother, but there was another mother. More powerful, more encompassing…Mother Earth had called to me and I had answered. But it wasn’t She that had called, someone else had done the calling.

Then I heard the voice. A young woman’s voice full of all things good and pure. She spoke of being lost and of being found. That Pakstoka knew that her people were still alive and that they would be home soon. When the woman stopped speaking I was left feeling more loved then I had ever felt before. More strength in knowing that I would never be alone again.

I felt myself being let go and returned to my physical body to find it weeping. I opened my eyes and sniffled loudly. And I wasn’t the only one on that guard tower who felt it. Nate, Harper, and Monroe had felt it too.

“Are you guys okay,” Clarke asked worried.

I inhaled deeply and smiled through my tears and said, “I think we’re more than okay.”

“I have never felt so loved or at peace before,” Monroe said as she sat on the floor.

Harper and Nate joined her as well.

I looked at the screen and watched as the white wolf placed her nose between her paws and as she raised her head, a flower grew.

“Guys, look,” I whispered, pointing to the screen.

Her head had fully risen and where there had been nothing before, now stood the most perfect white rose I’d ever seen. They looked at the camp and drone a moment longer and then they left, running down the other side of the ridge and up the next one and down it, disappearing from sight.

We looked at the rose stunned until we heard sobs and cries coming from the prisoners. We all looked over and they were sobbing into each other’s arms. But it wasn’t out of sadness, instead they were sobbing for joy.

“What just happened,” Bellamy demanded as Raven brought the drone back in.

I looked at the other three, but they could only shrug still caught up in the emotions.

I took a shuddering breath and said, “The white one is a Priestess of something called the Order. Their faith in Mother Earth. The Priestess asked Mother Earth to give her strength to speak with her people, apparently the four of us are part of that ‘people.’ The call pulled our spirits? down into where Mother Earth resides. There was so much love and strength and peace and knowledge that we’re never alone. It was awe inspiring. Then the Priestess spoke. She spoke that those who had been lost were now found and that the Pakstoka was working on a way to bring them home, safe. And then we were let go.”

“That’s horseshit,” Bellamy yelled. “Are you going to sit there and tell me that some white wolf is a priestess serving Mother Earth and that she called your spirit and theirs into the ground and spoke to you?!”

I got up angrily and stomped over to him and got into his face, “That is exactly what I am telling you, Bellamy. That white wolf is a Priestess of the Order and that she let our prisoners know that the Pakstoka knows that they are alive and working for a way to get them home!”

He tried to stare me down, but I felt a growl emanate from my chest at his audacity to challenge me. I felt my lips curl back into a snarl and saw his face pale in fear.

“Octavia, stop,” Harper said. “He just doesn’t understand. He’s just a human. He’ll never understand. Just back down, please, before you hurt him.”

Realization dawned and I quickly backed away and headed to Harper. The three of them hugged me as I looked at Bellamy.

“What do you mean, Harper,” Clarke asked.

“I don’t think even you would fully understand, Clarke. None of you really,” she said.

“Whatever we are,” Nate spoke, “we’re part of a community. Their community. We have a connection to the wolves like they do. That’s why we were all drawn to Mother Earth. Why the Priestess was able to speak to us as well.”

“Why don’t you think we’ll understand? We are part of a community. All of us,” Clarke said, still not understanding.

“Yes, we are part of a community, but not a community like this,” I said. “It goes beyond a group of people living together, beyond familial ties, beyond bonding because of shared experiences. It is called a community because of our connection with Mother Earth and that our minds are all connected to one another, however minute the connection. It transcends the material and physical worlds and connects on a more spiritual level.”

“You’re describing a cult, O,” Bellamy said angrily. “Somehow, they’ve gotten the four of you to drink their kool-aid and you think you’re one of them now. Don’t be so naïve.”

“I told you, he wouldn’t understand,” Harper whispered. “Humans never do.”

“Why do you keep calling me that,” Bellamy demanded. “Saying it like being human, being normal, is less then being one of you.”

“Look at all the hate you’re harboring towards Octavia, Bellamy,” Nate said, standing up and in front of me, protecting me. “You’re mad at her because she was able to get answers in Old Towne instead of you. You’re mad at both of them because they were treated differently when you went there. You’re angry because Octavia found answers to some of the questions as to why there was different treatment. And you’re hurt because your brain scan showed you that you have no powers. So, you’re lashing out. Calling us out because we’re starting to understand the people we captured. Because we’re similar to these people. It’s because you feel helpless that there doesn’t seem to be any way for you to help our people.”

“You’re full of shit, Miller,” Bellamy yelled and started walking down the stairs. “I’m not going to stay here and be insulted by a bunch of delinquents that couldn’t find a purpose so they latched on to this one.”

“You all know we’re right,” Harper said quietly. “Bellamy’s always going to resent us because he’s not like us.”

“I know,” Clarke replied. “But even so, we all have a responsibility to our people. All of them. We don’t know if there are more of us or if it’s just us 8. We have to treat everyone the same. We can’t tell anyone that we’re different. Not until we get the full picture of what we’re up against. Agreed?”

“Agreed,” we all said.

“Octavia! Octavia,” Jasper screeched through the communicator on my belt. “You’ve got to get down to the morgue quick. You, Harper, Monroe, Miller, and Clarke. I think shit just got worse. Hurry!”

We all looked at one another and then ran for the stairs and all the way to the morgue. When we got there, Jasper was pacing and mumbling to himself. Hitting himself in the head.

“Jasper, stop,” Clarke said, marching into the room and physically restraining his arm. “What’s going on?”

He looked at us wild-eyed and started talking real fast, his words jumbled together and he kept pointing to one of the drawers. We couldn’t make any sense of what he was saying, so I walked over to the drawer and opened it up. Inside was a young girl, probably no more then 16. She lay there fully clothed, but I didn’t recognize her. I pulled out the drawer and everyone looked.

“There, there, do you see,” Jasper exclaimed. “One minute I was looking at the wolf, then next her. What the fuck? I mean there was a wolf, right? I wasn’t just seeing things, right?”

I opened up all of the drawers and only encountered the dead adults. None of the drawers held a wolf.

“What the fuck,” I exclaimed as I walked over to the girl.

“How long ago did this happen,” Clarke asked with a strained voice.

“I don’ know…maybe…10, 20 minutes ago,” he said and started babbling to himself again.

“Wait, 10, 20 minutes ago,” I said thinking, “That was about the time the Priestess was speaking, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah. Yeah it was,” Nate said and the girls nodded in confirmation.

“Oh, my, God. It can’t be, could it? No, it couldn’t,” I started to question myself as a thought began growing in my mind. “But that’s impossible, isn’t it?”

“What’s impossible,” Clarke asked.

“The wolves are connected to the prisoners. The prisoners are connected with the wolves. All of them are connected with Mother Earth. Is it possible that the wolves are also men and women?”

“What? You mean like werewolves,” Monroe asked. “Like in fiction books?”

I nodded as my eyes widened in fear.

“But it’s not real. Werewolves don’t really exist, right? Right?”

“Clarke, look at her neck for me please,” I whispered fearfully.

Clarke walked timidly and moved the girls hair and jacket, revealing her neck. It was burned in the shape of the shock collar. My legs couldn’t hold me and I collapsed onto the floor. The girl bore the same burns as the wolf had. There were still ten prisoners and nine wolves.

“She’s a werewolf,” I whispered. “A real live, dead, werewolf.”

“Oh my god, we killed a person. We killed a girl,” Monroe moaned.

“We killed a pack member,” Clarke said horrified.

“Ya see,” Jasper said pointing at the girl, “Shit just got worse.”


	12. Nyx

“That was an excellent job, Gaia,” I said as I climbed on top of the truck and began unsnapping the clasps that held the hard cover down.

“You really think so,” she asked still unsure of herself. “I didn’t even know what to say. It’s like as soon as I felt everyone, the words started to flow out of me.”

I smiled down at her and replied, “Mother Earth saw the purity of your heart and knew you wished to give comfort to your people, Gaia. So She provided you with the words you needed to speak and the strength to speak them. Mother Earth chose well when She Called you to Her service.”

“You speak as if you have intimate knowledge of Her?”

“I guess you could say that Mother Earth and I had a conversation or two after my banishment. I was in a real bad place and the thoughts I had were very dark and very dangerous. One night, my soul was at it’s darkest and She came to me and told me ‘no.’ She pointed me towards people that could help me and provided me a way out of my darkness. So, everyday my love of Her grows and when I can, I give my thanks.”

“Why did She not Call you as She Called me?”

“My path lies between the Darkness and the Light. I’m meant to cross that boundary in order to keep people safe and help those in need. I told Gustus that I don’t do pro bono work, but I often do. Not everyone is fortunate to have the money to seek help.”

“You do Her work in your own way.”

“Yes,” I said as I hauled the cover over to the side. “Head’s up,” I said as I let it go.

Gaia quickly backed away as it thunked to the ground.

“Can you turn it over so that water won’t collect in it,” I said as I began to loosen the straps holding the five drones down. When they were unstrapped, I hollered down, “Could you toss that bag up to me, please?”

She did, throwing the 30 lb. bag up to me with ease. I sat down and pulled the first drone to me. Taking a rag, I cleaned it of any residual dust and wiped down the lens. I stuck one those head lights on my head and with a magnifying glass, looked over every nook and cranny making sure there were no cracks or imperfections. Satisfied, I repeated the process with the other four. With that done, I sat in the middle of the five drones and pulled out the master remote and turned them on, one by one they flew into the air and hovered over me as I looked at the video screen and cycled through the different video captures. Once more satisfied, I sent them about ten feet above my head and let them hover. I climbed down off of the truck, tossing the bag down and leaning over to hand Gaia the remote. We headed inside and I flicked on the five screens that showed us the five video feeds for each drone. I hooked up the remote to the computer, I took the joystick and sent them towards the camp. Sending them to a high altitude, I sent each one to the four quadrants I had mapped out and left the fifth one to hover over the apex of the shield. Setting them to hover, I zoomed the lens in to get a closer view of the area. Once I was satisfied on the view, I sent them the grid coordinates I wanted them to move in and let them get to work.

“Hey, Benny boy, you awake,” I radioed in.

“I’m awake, Nyx. Are the drones up and running,” he said.

“Yeah. They’re just starting their runs. The video feeds are set up to record for 24 hours and then send the data to the servers and start over again.”

“Perfect. Hey, take control of the drone working quadrant 2. Sweep over the fields and switch to signature feed.”

“You think those are the ones we’re looking for?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright, taking control over in 3,2,1, mark. Switching to signature feed now,” I said as I flipped the switch to take control over it manually and the image on the screen immediately changed to a gray brown, showing people as a black blip on the screen. 

When activated, weres showed up as a forest green to signify their connection with Mother Earth. Mages showed up in a myriad of colors depending on their powers. Green for Earth, blue for water, red for fire, white for air, gray for techno, yellow for the uncommon powers like healing or lightening.

Slowing the drone down to a mere crawl, I zoomed in on the figures in the field. 10 of the figures showed as forest green which were interspersed with black figures. I saw another forest green walking with a black along the inner perimeter of a wall. I followed the wall and saw nine more forest greens.

“Didn’t Gustus say that he sent five teams of four,” I asked.

“That’s right,” Gaia said. “That means that there should be 20 pack members on the inside of that wall.”

“Then why am I only counting 19?”

“Are you sure,” she asked as she leaned closer to the screen and counted silently. “Where’s number 20?”

“Good question. Another question is why are there so many black figures around the camp?”

“Humans?”

“It’s gotta be. Switching back to normal feed.”

Looking at the feed with new eyes, they were indeed humans. And confusing me even more, humans were in guard uniforms. They watched over the pack and patrolled the wall.

“What the fuck…I’m switching all drones to signature feed.”

One by one the drones switched over and my eyes widened in shock as nearly every person showed up as human. Freaking humans. Then there was color catching my eye over the fifth drone. I zoomed it in closer and watched as they moved around in a small cluster. I counted Four weres, on Earth mage, one mage that showed up yellow, and two techno mages.

I switched the feed over and zoomed in on there faces. There was Clarke, the Lightening mage, there was the other girl from the Commander’s photos, a were, and the rest were unknown. I made sure to capture a screen shot and send them directly to Ben. I zoomed back out and set it back on it’s course. I did the same with the drone in quadrant 2.

Leaning back in the chair, I stared at the screens in front of me. We were looking at a camp of humans. Humans had captured pack members and were using them as slave labor.

“Ben…”

“Yeah, she’s coming.”

“How in hell, did a whole community of humans make it through the border and all the way to Manassas,” I asked to no one in particular.

“It shouldn’t have been possible. The border patrols would have smelled them miles away. And even if they had somehow managed to evade the patrols, then the land patrols and drones should have picked up such a large movement of people,” Gaia replied.

“This makes absolutely no sense. And to have only less than 20 of us in a community of nearly one hundred? It’s impossible.”

“We need eyes and ears in there,” Ben said. “Nyx, in the small black box underneath the passenger seat are more of the spy bugs I made. Figure out a way to get them past the shield. They’ll do the rest.”

“Great idea. We’ll do it after nightfall. Less chance of them seeing us in our human form.”

“I’m here,” Lexa said over the radio.

“Ben, start showing her the video feeds,” I replied.

There was a pause.

“What am I looking at here,” she asked.

“Signature feed of the entire camp.”

Another pause.

“What happened to number 20,” she asked angrily.

“Don’t know yet. We’ve just started the runs. Look at the rest of the feeds.”

Lexa remained silent for awhile before she finally said, “How did an entire camp of humans get inside my territory and settle within speaking distance of my capital?”

“I don’t know, but we’ll be setting up surveillance inside the camp after nightfall,” I replied. “We’ll get your answers.”

“Is there anything else of significance?”

“Gaia, speaking through Mother Earth, was able to relay that you know that they’re alive and that we’re working on a way to get them home.”

“Is this true, Gaia,” Lexa asked her.

“Yes, ma’am. With Nyx’s help I was able to commune with them briefly, albeit one sided, but they know.”

“Good girl. If there’s nothing else, I must speak with Gustus and Indra in regards to this little bit of news.”

“No, we’re good,” I replied.

“Thank you for letting me know.”

“Of course. Ben will notify you once we have surveillance up and running.”

“Thanks.”

 

Five hours later, Gaia and I were standing on the ridge with a canister of the bugs. I looked out over the camp and could see the patrols walking along the walls and the searchlights sweeping 100 feet outside the wall. We were both dressed in black, head to toe, and ready to get this over and done with.

“Why am I here,” Gaia asked me.

“I’m going to need your help. We’re both Earth mages and we have 20 bugs we have to get from here to the other side of the wall. I want to send them all at once,” I replied.

“Oh.”

I knelt down and placed my hand on the ground and concentrated on feeling underneath the shield.

“They didn’t extend the shield past ground level,” I said. “Which is good. Makes things easier. There’ll be no chance of setting off any alarms.”

“Okay.”

I reached deeper into the camp and came across something that made a lot of things click.

“Gaia,” I said. “Do what I’m doing. Focus about 3 miles straight ahead from us.”

“Alright.”

My eyes were still closed as I felt her kneel next to me. I continued to feel around the area and was surprised by the enormity of it.

“Is that…,” she whispered.

“A very large, complicated man made structure. An underground bunker 3 miles underground,” I supplied.

“Could that be how nearly a 100 humans came here undetected?”

“That is the most simplest answer, so therefore as the saying goes, it’s the right answer.”

“We should get these bugs in place, like now.”

“Agreed.”

I pulled myself back out of the ground, opened the canister and split the bugs in half. I handed them off to Gaia.

“Okay, Gaia this is how it’s going to go. We are going to push the bugs through the ground and have them come out on the other side of the shield. We want them spread out enough that we’ll get better coverage.”

“How do we do it?”

“It’s going to take a lot of concentration, so we’ll be moving them slowly. As we push them into the ground, we surround them with a pocket of air and push that air through the ground and then let the earth fall back behind it. Like I said, it’s going to be slow going and is going to take a lot of concentration.”

“I think I understand,” she said. “Can I watch you first and then start?”

“Sure. Watch and learn.”

I sat on the ground and held both hands over the balls. Closing my eyes to better concentrate and watch as the balls move through the ground, I slowly sunk them and began moving them towards the camp. Soon, Gaia joined and all 20 balls were on there way. I moved them as a group and would stop them and push one up to the surface and then move on to the next area. By the time I pushed the last one up near the place I had seen the group Clarke was with, there was sweat dripping down my face and back. It hadn’t taken a lot of energy, but just the amount of concentration it took was exhausting.

I leaned back on my arms and looking up at the sky, took a moment to get my breath back. Tonight’s revelation was mind blowing. An entire community of humans had survived 83 years in a bunker and no one ever knew. They had remained untouched by the radiation and yet somehow less then 20 of them were born with powers. It made me wonder if there was something special about this small group. 

I shook my head to clear these thoughts and looked over at Gaia and frowned. She should have been done by now. I put my hand on the ground and checked on her progress and quickly withdrew it. She had stalled, but I could see that she was trying to push through it. Alarmed, I placed my hands on top of hers and quickly dove in, praying to Mother Earth to guide me. I fed her my power as I realized that she had already tapped out and was beginning to use her life force. The spy balls zipped quickly through the earth and popped out on the other side and I didn’t care where they ended up. When I felt the last of them surface I turned all of my attention to Gaia. She hadn’t notice that there was nothing left for her to do and was still trying to make the ground do what she wanted. 

Gaia, stop. It’s done. Stop! You’re killing yourself! Stop, Dammit!

I growled menacingly when she was still unresponsive. I did something completely reckless and stupid then. I forcefully shoved my power into her, filling her well to the brim and back into her life force. I didn’t stop until I heard a gasp and her hands pulled out from under mine. I quickly stopped and collapsed onto the ground, breathing hard. I had nearly used all of mine to get her out of the spin that she had placed herself in.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid, I berated myself for my reckless mistake. My arrogance had nearly cost Gaia her life. I should have worked with her more before I asked her to do this.

“Nyx,” Gaia asked quietly.

I rolled onto my back and looked at her, “Yeah?”

“I’m sorry.”

I sat up quickly and said, “I’m the one who’s sorry. I put your life at an unnecessary risk. I didn’t fully explain how to do it. It was reckless, careless, thoughtless, and dangerous for me to do so. I nearly killed you with my arrogance, Gaia. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you had died on my watch. I am so, so sorry.”

“This wasn’t just your fault, Nyx. I was overconfident in my power. I didn’t question you enough since I’ve never done something like this before. I am as much to blame as you are.”

“So we are both sorry, but are we both forgiven?”

“Yes,” she said with finality. “We are both forgiven.”

She hugged me tightly and then let me go.

“Don’t they still need to be activated,” she asked me, already getting back to business.

“Shit, yes,” I exclaimed and reached into my pocket and pulled out the remote switch and activated the bugs.

She had stood up and held out a hand to me. I took it and she helped me up. Gathering up the canister, we quickly made our way back to the truck. When I entered, I pulled out the bunks and made Gaia lay down in one of them. Sitting in front of the screens, I pulled up the feeds from the bugs and all but three had made it to their posts and were already recording. I turned down the volume of the audio and swiveled around in my chair. Gaia was already asleep and I laid a hand on her head and gave a brief prayer of thanks. I climbed up onto my own bunk and fell asleep quickly.

 

I was shoved awake by Gaia and I sat up quickly.

“What is it, Gaia,” I asked with a yawn.

“Ben’s asking for you,” she answered.

I hopped back down and shoved the bunks back into the wall of the truck and sat in the chair.

“Alright, Ben. I’m here.”

“Bout time, boss. The bugs have been sending out some interesting things, but I want you to take a listen and watch something. I’m queuing up your feed right now.”

“Alright,” I said as one of my screens went black and then a view of a room came on. In the middle of the room was a round table with 9 people sitting around it. 

Ben zoomed in closer to give me a better view of the people and they were the ones that we had discovered just yesterday.

The feed started playing as I watched and listened.

“Jasper, were you able to get anything more out of that canister,” the human asked.

A tall, lanky, dark headed kid shook his head, “No. There’s nothing more I can get from it. Like I told you before. I was able to isolate the chemicals that made up the gas, but I couldn’t identify most of them. All I can tell you is that the chemicals are plant based, but the database doesn’t have those particular plants on file. The plants are most likely mutated from the radiation. If I went outside and picked up what looks like a daisy and I broke down it’s chemical structure, there’s a good chance it will say that it’s not a daisy. Do you understand what I’m saying here.”

“Yeah, I do. We’ve lost ten more of the adults last night. If we can’t find a cure soon, they will all die. We’ll lose our parents. They’re half of our population. We need their help.”

“I’m sorry, man, but I’ve come up empty. We need to get into contact with their leader. If they developed the gas, you know they have to have the antidote or cure for it. Who in their right mind would create something like this and not have a way to counteract it?”

“That’s enough,” Clarke said. “This is an old argument at this point. We still have no way of getting in contact with this de Pakstoka. It’s too dangerous for us to leave the confines of the shield and we can’t exactly go asking for directions.”

“It’s too dangerous for us humans, you mean,” the human sneered at her, making my hackles rise.

“It’s too dangerous for all of us, Bellamy. Not just you, but for us too. They don’t know who we are. They don’t know how we got here. We may be like them, but that doesn’t mean they’d be willing to talk to us. They may very well be the kind that shoots firsts and asks questions later.”

“Then’s there’s the big ol’ elephant in the room,” a girl said that had her dark hair pulled back into a pony tail. “We killed one of their pack members and she’s lying in our morgue. How can we prove that it was an accident and that the persons who were responsible were punished?”

I paused the play back and looked at Gaia. Her entire body was tense with anger, hell, I was angry too. They killed one of our own. The question was how.

“Easy, Gaia. This pisses me off too, but there’s too much at stake to let our emotions ride us now,” I said gently.

She looked at me and taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, nodded.

We turned back to the feed and I started it up again.

“There’s no way to prove it,” the girl that had been in Old Towne with Clarke said. “I’m not even sure if the punishment was severe enough. If the roles were reversed, would we be satisfied with only two of the people responsible getting a low voltage shock for less then 30 seconds satisfy our need for justice?”

“Unfortunately, no we wouldn’t,” Bellamy said sadly. “In the bunker, we executed people for way less then murder.”

“Exactly, but we just can’t execute five people for accidentally killing a prisoner. They’ve already been removed from the guard and are making new homes in their prison cells.”

“Except for us,” the red headed girl said. “Why aren’t we in there with them, Octavia? I mean Harper and I laughed alongside the rest of them and didn’t try to stop it. Just because we’re like the prisoners, shouldn’t give us exception to the current punishment.”

“As much as I hate to admit that Monroe’s right,” the blonde said, “You shouldn’t make allowances for us, O. It’s not fair.”

Octavia hung her head and said, “You’re right, Harper. I shouldn’t have made allowances. After this meeting is done, we’ll rectify the situation.”

“Thank you.”

“Can we get to the even bigger elephant in the room,” the one black guy asked. “You know, the reason why all 8 of us are really here.”

“The fact that we seem to have powers,” Clarke said quietly.

“And the fact that four of us could be werewolves,” Octavia said.

“We know that Monty, Jasper and I have been intuitively using our powers in the things we’ve done,” the pony tailed girl said. “I mean, none of us have really had any real training and I’m supposed to be a mechanic.”

“So how do the rest of us use ours,” the black guy said. “Do we just stick out our hands and say fire…”

Immediately, fire sprang out of his hand and headed straight towards the pony tailed girl who quickly ducked out of the way and lighting a banner behind her on fire. Octavia immediately sent a stream of water at the lit banner, dousing the flame. Of course, everyone in her path were immediately drenched.

Nobody moved as what had just happened sunk in their heads.

Then, “That is so cool,” Jasper yelled and immediately got up to examine the banner.

“What the hell just happened,” Bellamy asked fearfully.

“Nobody move,” Clarke yelled as they all began to get out of their seats.

They all sat back down reluctantly.

“Well, that answers that question,” said the only the one that hadn’t spoken so far. “There’s a thought process to using our powers. We’re going to have to figure out some way to learn control or the next time Nate yells fire, he’ll light the place up.”

“I most certainly agree to that,” Clarke said fearfully. “I have no desire to rain you-know-what over the camp.”

Here, here’s went around the room.

“This is absolutely fucking insane,” Bellamy yelled and scrambled out of his chair. “You have super powers! No, no! It’s impossible! You’re freaks! You’re fucking freaks! I’m outta here.”

He took maybe two steps before Harper, Monroe, and Nate tackled him to the ground.

He struggled beneath their combined weight as Clarke walked up to them.

Kneeling down, Clarke said, “I’m sorry, Bellamy, but we can’t let you tell anybody. For everyone’s sake. We’re really sorry it has to be this way.” She stood up and told the three, “Take him to the psychiatric ward. Have the doctors tranq him and put him in a straight jacket. We can’t let him get out.”

“No! No! No! You can’t do this to me! No,” he screamed as they hauled him to his feet and dragged him out of the room.

And that’s where the feed ended.

“When was this, Ben,” I asked.

“This morning around 7. Why?”

“Have you shown this to anybody else?”

“No. Again why?”

“Things are a lot worse than any of us originally thought, Ben. We essentially attacked first. They took prisoners because of it. Then they kill a pack member through callousness. Now, they’re locking up their friend to keep him from speaking out.”

“They’re getting desperate,” Gaia said.

“They’re afraid and don’t know what they’re doing,” Ben replied.

“And we also know where they came from,” I said.

“Where?”

“There’s an underground bunker underneath the town hall. They’ve been living there since the apocalypse. And there’s more than a hundred humans.”

“Is this enough information to give to Lexa,” Gaia asked.

“Yes, but Gaia, do you know what gas canister they’re talking about,” I asked.

“No, but Mother would know.”

“Okay,” I said and then addressed Ben, “Hold off telling her for a little bit longer. I still need more information before I present her with this.”

“I don’t like it, but okay. We need to inform her today, though,” he said.

“Won’t be a problem,” I said and let his line go.

“Let me get ahold of Mother,” Gaia said and pulled out her communicator.

She put it on speaker so that we could both speak to her.

“Gaia,” a gravely woman’s voice answered. “Is everything working alright between you and Nyx?”

“Yes, Mother,” Gaia replied. “But we’ve run into a bit of a situation that we need clarification on. Can you help us?”

“If I can. What is it?”

“We’ve learned that after the first team disappeared, the second team launched some kind of canister into the invaders’ camp. Do you know what would be in that canister?”

“As a matter of fact, I do. It’s a neurotoxin that inhibits the use of powers. It’s temporary, but it’s become standard protocol. If we encounter a foreign group, we send one team in. If that team is met with resistance or in this case, disappears, the second team fires the canister into the enemy and then comes in to deal with the problem.”

“Indra, it’s good to hear your voice, but I have another question. Do you know if the creator of the neurotoxin ever tested the affects on humans?”

“Oh, Nyx, it is so good to hear you again. I’ve missed you. In answer to your question, I don’t know. The chemist who created it only passed on the information of what it would do to powers. I’m sorry.”

“I’ve missed you too, Indra. I’ve missed our training sessions. But thank you for clarifying the canister for me.”

“You’re welcome. Are our people still alive?”

“They are for now. I’m sorry, Indra, but you know it’s not my place to tell.”

“I understand. You know, you were one of my best students, Nyx.”

Smiling, I replied, “And I’ve used your training well. I’m afraid this is as much time as I have to speak with you, Indra. I’ll try and visit after this is over.”

“I look forward to your visit, Nyx. Until then.”

“Until then,” I replied and ended the communication.

“Now, what,” Gaia asked.

“Now, we tell her and find out what’s in the neurotoxin. It may be the key to everything,” I replied. “Hey, Ben?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s time to talk.”

“Alright. I’ll have her sent for.”

“Why can’t you say her name,” Gaia asked me suddenly.

“Say who’s name,” I replied, even though I knew exactly who she was talking about.

“Lexa’s. You only refer to her as her, she, or Ms. Devereux. What are you afraid of?”

“Afraid,” I said, looking at her. “I’m not afraid.”

“Then say her name.”

“No, it’s unprofessional. I have a reputation to maintain.”

“Out here you don’t. Tell me her name.”

Defeatedly, I said, “I can’t bring myself to.”

“I’m your friend, Nyx. Tell me why, please.”

I wrestled with myself as to explain exactly it was that I refused to say her name. I knew why, but did I really want to admit that I still cared for her. Still love her.

“Because I’m afraid to.”

“Why are you afraid?”

“She broke my heart, Gaia. I can’t put myself through that again. It nearly killed me the first time,” I said as tears threatened.

“You still love her, don’t you,” she asked as realization dawned on her.

“For all that I wish it wasn’t so, yes, I still love her. Even after everything, I still love her,” I finally admitted.

Gaia hugged me then, “I’m so sorry, Nyx.”

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“Nyx,” Lexa’s voice sounded through the communicator.

I sniffed and wiped the few tears that had fallen down my face and replied, “We’re here.”

“You have information for me?”

“Yeah, we do. There’s a video feed you need to watch, but I’ll give you the details.”

“Alright.”

“The biggest question that needed answering was how such a large community of humans made it to the middle of your lands. The answer is that they’ve always been here, but no one ever knew it. There’s a huge underground bunker underneath the town hall. They’ve lived there for the past 83 years.”

“But why reemerge now?”

“My guess is that maybe their resources were nearly out. Those places were built to only last so long.”

“So I’ve had an underground bunker filled with humans in my land this entire time.”

“Yes. When they suddenly appeared, as with all appearances of invaders, a team was sent to investigate. For whatever reason, they decided to capture the team. Then a second team was dispatched, but this time they had something with them.”

“The canister of neurotoxin.”

“Yes. And from what Indra passed on to me, it’s designed to inhibit our powers when breathed in. Correct?”

“Yes.”

“And since I highly doubt your chemist or anybody really thought about using it against humans, the effects on them aren’t known.”

“That’s right, we didn’t even consider them, because there are so few of them and there’s never more then 20 seen together.”

“Right. Well, we kinda know now. It’s killing them. Specifically the adults. It doesn’t seem to harm anyone below a certain age. Looking over the camp, they’re all pretty much kids. The oldest may be in their early-mid twenties.”

“Which means that their leader or leaders are unable to perform their duties.”

“Yeah, so there are a bunch of kids who don’t what they’re doing leading their people.”

“Did you by chance find out what happened to number 20,” she asked trepidatiously.

“We did. I’m sorry to say that she’s dead.”

“How?”

“From what I can deduce, they’ve placed shock collars on your people that were in wolf form when they were captured, probably your men, too. A group of five individuals thought it would be fun to shock her multiple times. They ended up killing her.”

“They murdered one of my people,” she accused, voice filled with fury.

“Yes.”

“They will pay for this!”

“I understand. The leaders have them currently locked up, including two of their own.”

“What else,” she growled.

“They locked up the human that was part of their leadership. They’ve discovered how to use their powers and he freaked out and tried to leave the room. They caught him and he’s currently in a psychiatric ward, bundled up so that he can’t talk. We believe that they may be getting desperate.”

“And desperate people do stupid things,” she replied, sounding slightly more relaxed.

“That’s my fear.”

“Do you think we can keep it from getting that far?”

“I believe so. If we gave them a cure to treat the adults we should be able to get your people back. A trade.”

“Would that be enough?”

“To get your people back, yes. Though we have the other issue to deal with.”

“What do we do with the humans?”

“Right. That is something you need to discuss with your people. You also need to get in touch with the chemist who designed the neurotoxin and get them working on a cure.”

“She’s going to have to use a human.”

“Does it matter really, it’s only a human.”

“That is true.”

“See if the chemist can give us something in the mean time that could possibly slow the death down. Maybe the stuff that your people use to counteract the neurotoxin if they accidentally come into contact with it?”

“I’ll speak with her about that. What are you thinking?”

“If we give them that, we can negotiate to have her body returned to us along with her partner.”

“I like it. Just keep monitoring the situation and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”

“We will and thank you.”

“Okay, now I am officially bored,” Gaia said with a laugh.

“Welcome to the fabulous world of information gathering. Usually, I can just let this run by itself and do other things, like take on a new case that is easily dealt with or other things. Unfortunately, that is not the case here. There’s nothing to occupy us.”

“Feel like a run?”

“Might as well,” I said looking at the screens. “It doesn’t look like there’s much to worry about in the human camp. Let’s go.”

I made sure my ear piece was in and we were off running through the forest. Sometimes we even headed near the camp to run over cleared ground. I don’t know how many miles we ran, but we didn’t stop until the moon was starting to rise. 

We rested on the ridge watching as it rose above the tree line. It was nearing to becoming a full moon. Seeing that, something trembled within me and my chest tightened.

Gaia, what month is it?

September, why?

Look at the moon.

I am. It’s almost full.

And what time of the year is coming up?

The fall eq…jok!

Yeah, one of the few times a year that we’re forced to change.

And if those shock collars are on the men when it happens, it’ll kill them.

Exactly. And when the humans see the change…

They’ll kill them and the four weres they have.

We have to warn them.

How?

I’ll pay them a visit tomorrow. Everyone will start feeling the urge to shift then.

Is it safe?

It’s not a matter of safety. It’s a matter of life and death.

Then let’s head back. The sooner you get there tomorrow, the sooner we’ll keep everyone alive.

Agreed.

We ran back to the truck with all due haste.

The next morning, I checked the feeds to see where Clarke was at. Luckily, it looked like she wasn’t in the bunker, so she’d be easy enough to find. At the same time, we started to feel the effects of the Harvest Moon. We both felt like thousands of ants were crawling all over us, making our body constantly shiver to remove the feeling. I ignored it as best as I could and ate a quick breakfast. Gaia helped me take the bike down. With a final wish of good luck, I was speeding towards their camp and at the same time enjoying jumping the bike over the ridges. Too soon it was over and I stopped within yelling distance of the camp.

“I need to speak with your leader,” I yelled up at the guards.

“Who are you,” a guard yelled down.

“Someone who is trying to end this situation you’ve found yourselves in! Just get your leader! Now!”

He turned away and I started pacing back and forth trying to ease the constant body shivering. Ten minutes later, I heard the shield go down and the gate open. I turned around and I froze. Seeing Clarke, out here where she was more comfortable, only seemed to enhance how beautiful I thought she was. My mind recalled the curves of her body and they way it moved as I ran my hands and lips across it. I swallowed thickly as I looked into her eyes. She stood there just as mesmerized as I was. We probably looked like idiots, but in that one sweet moment, I didn’t care. I wanted her again and so did my wolf.

She broke the spell first by saying, “Nyx? You’re Nyx, right?”

I coughed and rolled my neck as I replied, “Hi, Clarke. My name’s Nyx. I’m glad you remembered.”

She walked over to me and looked at me strangely and asked, “What are you doing here?”

“I, um, I,” I suddenly found myself tongue tied, but gained enough composure to finish, “de Pakstoka hired me to get her people back.”

“Are you here to negotiate then?”

“Not at this time. I’m here for a different reason. It’s rather important, I’m afraid.”

My body took that moment and shivered as I closed my eyes and shook my body a little.

“Are you okay,” she asked concerned.

“It’s the, um, reason why I’m here,” I replied. “The Harvest Moon will be here in a couple of days. It’s one of the few times werewolves are forced to shift.”

“So, they really are werewolves and you’re one, too?”

“Yes and so are your friends. I know that you’ve placed shock collars on the men and wolves. If you leave them on the night of the Harvest Moon, you’ll kill them. The shift changes our whole bodies and the neck is one of the more important places. Any kind of constriction there will kill them, because they cannot fight the change like we can at the summer and winter solstices.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I know about the girl. I don’t think you’d want 10 more unnecessary deaths on your hand.”

“How do you know that,” she asked suddenly fearful.

“From the Priestess,” I lied. “She felt the girl’s Spirit pass into the everlasting embrace of Mother Earth.”

“Wait, that was real. They weren’t lying?”

“Ergh, weres never lie about Mother Earth. She is everything to us.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend,” she apologized quickly.

I smiled to put her at ease, “I can’t take offense if the person does not know it was offensive.”

“What is it you think I can do?”

“You have humans in your camp, yes?”

“Yes.”

“How do you think they will react when ten prisoners and your friends suddenly shift?”

“Oh, God. They’ll kill them.”

“Yes and if they do, de Pakstoka will be forced to act in kind.”

“So…”

“You need to keep your humans away from the werewolves. The shift will happen a couple of hours before the moon reaches its zenith and end a couple of hours after. On top of that, they need to run and maybe one or two other things depending.”

“Run? You know I can’t let them outside the gate.”

“Why not? It would certainly ease this particular situation. They leave, you no longer have to worry about them. If you willingly let them go, de Pakstoka would be more willing to negotiate possibly allowing all of you to stay here.”

“Because my people are dying. Her people poisoned my people. I’m not willing to let her people go without saving my own, Nyx.”

“I understand, Clarke. I do. She would do the same if the roles were reversed. I had to ask. But the fact remains the pack needs to run. If they can’t do it outside the gates, then find someplace they can inside. If you don’t want them running rampant through your camp, find the strongest one and they’ll follow their orders.”

“Strongest one?”

I rolled my shoulders and neck as I replied, “There’s always a member that is the strongest. You’ll see the pack show more deference. They’ll be more submissive to them. If the person scares them enough, they might even bare their necks to them, offering their lives to the person. Much like wolves do in the wild.”

She nodded in understanding and then asked, “Nyx, when we met at the bar did you know?”

“Did I know what? That you’re a lightening mage, yes. It’s hard not to notice with all the discharge.”

“Discharge?”

“Think of it like building up a static charge. When you rub your feet on carpet it builds up and when you touch something metallic or another person, it discharges. That’s what you were inadvertently doing because you were nervous during your stay in Old Towne. You’re power is uncommon, so when we come across one, it’s a very intimate and somewhat sensual feeling, we enjoy it.”

“I have another question.”

“Hmm?”

“What was in the canister?”

I sighed, I knew she would want to know, “It’s a neurotoxin that was developed by a Forest Pack chemist. It’s designed to inhibit the areas of the brain where our powers and telepathy dwell. It’s usually temporary to people like us.”

“Did they know the affects it would have on normal people?”

“No. Humans are rare now. After the apocalypse, mages and weres began appearing more and more until we became the apex predator. Humans are seen as a subspecies and treated as such. We’d rather kill a human then have to interact with them.”

“You hate them that much?”

I shrugged, “It would be considered par for the course. When humans were the majority they hunted and killed weres and then turned us into myths. We’ve been around as long as humans have and now the tables have turned. The largest grouping of humans we’ve had until now has been no more then 20. I couldn’t tell you how many are left in the world. When we do encounter a human in the city, they have owners.”

“They’re treated like slaves?”

“Yes, and it’s for their protection. If they didn’t have owners they would be killed. It’s how they survive.”

“Do you own one?”

I looked at her horrified, “God, no! I wouldn’t touch them with a ten-foot pole.”

“Isn’t that prejudicial?”

“It’s just the way things are now. When it comes to your humans, I don’t know what to tell you. They’re your humans.”

“My humans?”

“You’re their leader. You’re a lightening mage. They are under your protection; you and the other mages and weres. They are yours, pure and simple.”

My ear buzzed and Ben’s voice came through, “Nyx, you’re needed back at the truck. Lexa has arranged a meeting that you need to be at.”

I sighed and said, “Clarke, I know you have a lot of questions about what the world’s like now, but I have to leave. Just figure out a way to keep the humans and weres apart on the Harvest Moon. If you don’t, there’ll be blood on your hands.”

“But…”

“I’m sorry, I got to go. I hope to see you again soon,” I stepped closer and whispered, “and when I say see you, I mean all of you.”

Before she had a chance to say anything, I was on my bike and riding away.


	13. Clarke

I stood there as she rode away on her bike, trying to grasp everything she had told me, but I was having a real hard time because of the last words she spoke. When I saw her just standing there when I came out of the gate, I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. She looked even better in the sunlight then the dim lighting of the bar. When you looked at her, she didn’t appear to have any softness. That she was all muscle and hard lines, but when I remembered the way her skin had felt and the roundness of her breasts and ass, there was softness. Seeing her again, I wanted to find that softness under that dangerous exterior. I wanted her, pure and simple.

The communicator beeped breaking me out of my daydreams and I reluctantly answered it as I headed back through the gates.

“Yeah,” I said

“You’ve been out there a long time,” Raven said.

“Yeah, sorry about that. She was answering a lot of questions that I had.”

“That looked a lot more then just a bit of Q&A, Clarke.”

“Ahem, well, it’s complicated.”

“Okay, I get it. I’ll drop it for the moment, but I’ll get it out of you sooner or later. What was so important that she was here anyway?”

“Get the others and meet me in the Council Room,” I said as I picked up my pace.

“Alright, must be pretty important if you’re speed walking.”

“Stop watching me and get everyone there,” I said irritably.

She laughed and I hung up the communicator.

I beat everyone to the room, so I started pacing to try and regain control over my body and calm my mind. Not ten minutes with her and I oh so wanted to do things that I never imagined to her, with her. I shook my head again trying to dispel her from my mind.

Soon everyone came into the room and took their seats and waited on me. I took a deep breath and sat down.

“So, that was Nyx,” Octavia said with a sly smile.

I gave her a dirty look, but she ignored it.

“That was Nyx, the Enforcer that the Commander had recommended to us. She was hired by the Forest Pack’s leader to help get her people back.”

“So, was she here to open negotiations,” Monty asked.

I shook my head, “No. She wanted me to be aware of a potential lethal situation.”

“And that is?”

“The full moon is in a few days. The Harvest Moon. She told me that it happens around the Fall Equinox.”

“That’s right,” Raven said.

“Well, it’s a big deal here. She confirmed that our prisoners are indeed werewolves and that the four of you are also werewolves. How she knows, I don’t know. Anyway, she told me that during the Harvest Moon, werewolves are forced to shift. They can’t get around it. That there’s four times in a year that werewolves are forced to shift; Spring and Fall Equinox and Summer and Winter Solstice. Though during the solstices, they can fight the shift. Again, don’t know why.”

“What does this mean for the prisoners?”

“There are a few dangers. One, is that if they have the shock collars on them when they shift, it will kill them. Two, they won’t be able to shift back for about four hours. Two before the zenith and two after. Thirdly, and the most important is that our people can’t see them shift.”

“They would kill them,” Octavia said quietly.

I nodded, “And they would probably kill the four of you as well.”

“So, what do we do? We can’t let them out of the gates and we can’t let our people see them.”

“We have to come up with a way to keep our people away from them,” Raven said, thinking. “The best place would be inside the bunker. Come up with some excuse and bar the door to keep everyone from leaving during that time period.”

“That was my thinking. There’s another issue at hand in regards to the mandatory shift. They need to run during that time. Nyx didn’t have time to explain why, but if I hazard a guess, it’s to get rid of excess energy. Wear themselves down enough to shift back.”

I looked out at everyone as they sat there thinking about the problem and noticed that Nate and Octavia were acting similar to Nyx. They were already beginning to have issues, which meant the prisoners were too.

“Octavia, Nate, what you’re feeling is the same as what Nyx was exhibiting when I was talking to her. I believe she told me it was because the Harvest Moon is in a few days. A build up of energy or something like that.”

“I though I was going crazy,” Octavia said as she breathed through a body tremor. “This feels like torture. Like my body is covered in ants.”

“Same here,” Nate replied. “Harper and Monroe must be going nuts in their cells.”

“Unfortunately, what you’re feeling isn’t going to be the worst of it,” I said. “You guys will be shifting for the first time. None of us knows how that’s going to feel like and the prisoners aren’t talking, so we can’t ask them.”

“Are you for real,” Octavia exclaimed.

“I’m for very real. So, any ideas on how we can let the prisoners run around for four hours?”

“If our people are safe and snug in the bunker, we can let them run the perimeter of the camp. It wouldn’t be wise to let them run through it,” said Monty. “The question is how do we keep control of where they run?”

“Nyx had an answer for that too. She said to find the strongest werewolf and have them command the pack.”

“So, who do you think the strongest prisoner is,” Octavia asked.

Carefully, I said, “I don’t think a prisoner is the strongest, Octavia. I think you are.”

“What now?!”

“Think about it. What happened when you began yelling at the guards over the girl’s torture?”

“Um, Harper and Monroe immediately backed down and they and nearby prisoners showed me their throats.”

“And you got two of the prisoners to come and do the body scans.”

“Okay, so?”

“Submissive wolves will often offer up their throats as tribute to appease the dominate wolf,” Jasper supplied. “It’s like saying in ultimate fashion, ‘I’m sorry that I pissed you off, here’s my life if it will make you feel better.’”

“Oh. Crap,” she said. “I’m a pack leader?”

Everyone nodded and Nate said, “I could have told you that, O.”

She made a face at him, making him laugh.

“How do we know that we’re the only werewolves in camp,” she asked as a sudden thought occurred.

“Shit, you’re right. We don’t know,” Raven said. “We’re just assuming here.”

“We need to come up with a way and fast, because we can’t just announce saying if you feel like your skin is crawling with ants please report to medical.”

“No, but I think I’ve got a better idea,” said Monty. “We’ll build something like those metal detectors that used to be in airports, remember. But instead of searching for metal, we use the brain scan and set it to only pinpoint those two areas of the brain. If it beeps twice, we know we have another werewolf. If it beeps once, we may have another mage.”

“That’s perfect,” Raven said. “We set them up at the entrance to the bunker and we have everybody go through them. Then we pull aside those that make the machine beep and let the others through.”

“We also have to make all the medical staff and technicians down there go through it too,” I said thinking out loud. “How soon can you have them built and operational?”

“Less then a day. We already have a couple of metal detectors here. It wouldn’t be hard to swipe the programming out of the sensors and recalibrate to look at those two spots in the brain.”

“Then do it. Once it’s operational we’ll have people start going through them anyways and pulling them off to the side to have a quiet conversation.”

“I like it,” Jasper said as he rubbed his hands together gleefully.

“You would,” Octavia groaned and my body shuddered again. “This is pure agony. Can someone just tranq me for a few hours?”

“Me too,” Nate pleaded.

Everyone exchanged looks and I said, “Okay.”


	14. Octavia

A few hours later, I woke up in a hospital ward that we’d all trooped to. It was a blissful sleep without the constant feeling like my skin was trying to dislodge insects. I looked around and saw that Nate, Harper, and Monroe were still sleeping off the tranq. I also saw about five other people sleeping as well. Apparently, while I had been out, Monty and Raven had gotten the scanners up and running. The door opened and another kid walked in with Clarke and Jasper right behind her.

“Hey, you’re up,” Clarke said as she came over to me. “How’re you feeling?”

“Better,” I replied, “I’m trying not to jinx it. So we now have ten werewolves?”

“So, far,” Clarke replied as Jasper helped the girl lay down before he tranq’d her.

“Any more mages?”

“Four. We’ve taken them aside and shown them their brain scans. We’ve also explained the importance of keeping it to themselves, death vs life importance. When they wake up, it’ll be your turn to explain why they’re here and what’s going to happen soon.”

I flopped back onto my pillow, “Why couldn’t Bellamy have been a werewolf, too. Then I could pass the buck.”

She laughed, “I don’t think it works that way, O. You’re just gonna have to put on your big girl panties and get it done.”

“You’ve been watching those old tv shows again, haven’t you?”

“Maybe…”

I laughed, “Maybe, my ass. That’s the only time those weird ass sayings come out of your mouth.”

She stuck her tongue out at me and I threw my pillow at her. She caught it then refused to give it back. She played keep away from me for a bit and it was nice to let the stress of everything go for a bit, but then the antsy feeling was back and I groaned in displeasure, she handed it back and I crawled back onto the bed feeling absolutely miserable.

“You are so lucky, you don’t have to go through this, Clarke,” I mumbled through the pillow. “How the hell do these people deal with this four times a year.”

“Probably because it’s only four times a year,” Clarke said as she sat on the bed across from me. “But I also think they have other ways to keep their minds off of it.”

“Like what?”

“Don’t know. Nyx didn’t get into that.”

“Speaking of Nyx,” I said as I sat back up, “She couldn’t take her eyes off of you.”

Clarke blushed, “I couldn’t either. There’s just something about her that defies explanation. Honestly, I was surprised that she remembered me. The way the staff at the hotel made it seem that she took girls to that room a lot and never the same one.”

“Wow, she’s a real horn dog. You must have made some impression on her if she kept looking at you like that.”

Clarke laughed, “Like I’ll ever know.”

I shrugged, “You never know.”

“Whatever, O. Don’t try to play matchmaker.”

“I’m not, I swear,” I said laughing. “I’m just telling you what I saw. She’s got the hots for you.”

She made a face and then the communicator on her waist beeped. She looked at and said, “Make that five mages. I’ve got to run. I’ll check on you later.”

“Okay, don’t forget to feed us,” I said as another shudder went through my body.

“I won’t,” she replied and closed the door behind her.

 

In the end, we had 13 werewolves and 9 mages total. Somehow, we’d been able to cycle through the entire unaffected people in camp in a matter of hours. It was decided that us werewolves would stay in the room, until it was time to head out to join the prisoners and shift for the first time. 

“Octavia,” a small red head asked, “what’s going on? Why are we all here?”

A chorus of yeahs went around and I sighed at the idea that I was going to have to explain. Surprisingly, Nate came over and joined me on the bed and Harper and Monroe sat on the beds next to us. The rest gathered around the four of us and waited.

“Alright. This is going to sound crazy, insane, ridiculous and out of this world,” I started. “But what I’m about to tell you is the honest truth. A couple of nights ago, did any of you feel like you were gently pulled into the ground and then hear a voice?”

Everyone nodded.

“What happened was real. It wasn’t imagined. We weren’t part of a mass hysterical moment. So, you can relax in regards to that. Now, how you ended up in this room with the four of us is slightly more complicated, but I’ll try to explain it as clearly as possible. When the apocalypse happened 83 years ago, humans mutated, in two very different ways. Nearly everyone became a mage, having control of different elements like fire, water, earth, and air.”

I turned to Nate and asked, “You’ve been practicing more than I have, can you show them.”

He nodded and held out his hand, palm up. As he stared at it a small ball of flame began to grow in his palm. Everyone gasped and leaned away. He then shrunk the fire until there was nothing left. 

“That’s what I mean by mage. All of us here have similar powers. After our stint in this room is over, we’ll do another brain scan and figure out what power you have.”

“Do you all have powers, too,” another kid asked.

“Yes. I’m a water mage, Harper is a wind/air mage, and Monroe is an earth mage.”

“So, are those the only type of mages?”

“No, so far the only other power that we’ve discovered are techno mages. Those are the ones that can manipulate technology. Raven and Monty are both techno mages.”

“So, what makes us different from other mages,” a third asked.

“We also have telepathy. Meaning we can speak mind to mind. It’s how we heard that voice. Because we have both powers and telepathy that is what makes us really different. We’re werewolves. For those that don’t know the stories or the myths, they are people that can shift into wolves.”

“Awesome,” someone in the back said loudly.

I cracked a smile, “You say that now, but it may not be so when the full moon gets here.”

“Why is the full moon important,” the small redhead asked.

“It’s not so much that it’s a full moon. From what was explained, this full moon is special. It’s called the Harvest Moon and it’s called that because it happens near the Fall Equinox.”

“What’s so special about it?”

“It’s one of four times a year a werewolf is forced to shift. All of us here will be shifting for the first time and we don’t know what to expect. Before it’s time to shift we’ll join the prisoners. Hopefully, they will help us through it. After we shift, we’ll run around the perimeter of the camp for four hours.”

“That’s a long time,” someone said.

“I think it’s necessary,” I said thinking. “From the way I’m feeling right now, it feels like I have too much energy and that thousands of ants crawling over us is our bodies way of trying to get rid of the excess until we can fully shift and get it out of our system.”

“That makes sense,” one of the older kids said. “I know that when I seem to have a lot of energy to burn, my body keeps wanting to move to get rid of it, but this is like a hundred times worse. And you say we have to deal with it four times a year?”

“Yeah. Summer and Winter Solstice, Spring and Fall Equinox. Apparently, the solstices aren’t as bad and we can fight the shift.”

The door opened up and Clarke, Raven, Monty, and Jasper entered pushing trays in front of them, laden with food. My mouth began to water as the aromas filled the air.

“Dinner is served,” Clarke said with a smile.

“Thanks,” I said and I addressed everyone, “Go ahead and eat.”

“Um, we think you and Nate should get first dibs,” the redhead said.

“Why is that?”

“Aren’t you our pack leader and Nate is like your second in command or something?”

I looked at Nate and he was as surprised as I was. I turned back to her and asked, “What do you mean?”

“She means,” the older kid said, “Is that you’re both giving off that dominant vibe. His is less then yours. And none of us get that kind of vibe from anyone else, just you two. I can tell you, we won’t eat until you get the first pickings. You do want us to eat, don’t you?”

“Alright, then. No sense in arguing with the masses,” I replied and got up.

Nate and I grabbed plates and loaded up on food. We seemed more partial to the meats, but grabbed fruits, vegetables and bread to even it out. When we sat back down, the rest filed along the carts and got their own food.

I started eating the steak and I made a face and asked, “Does anyone else feel like the meat is over cooked?”

“Yeah, I do,” Nate commented, “But I think we’re going to have to suck it up this time. We need to eat.”

I made a face at him and forced myself to finish the meats on my plate. When we were all done and the questions were all answered, Clarke and Jasper all tranq’d us so that we could sleep through the night.

 

The morning of the Harvest Moon, we all woke up feeling as if we wanted to rip the skin off of ourselves. It was absolutely pure torture. None of us really wanted to move, because if we moved, it would make it worse.

“God, can’t this be over and done with,” Harper complained from her bed. “My skin feels like it’s being eaten alive.

One of the youngest girls whimpered in pain, so I got up slowly and with many deep breaths and groans of my own went to her. I pulled her into my arms and we both lay on her bed. She calmed down immediately, even her shivering lessened. Mine did, too. Almost as if being in contact with someone lessened the sensations.

“Hey guys,” I called out. “Find someone and cuddle with them, I think it helps ease the whole skin sensation crap. I know it’s weird and a little off putting, but give it a go.”

The room came alive as they searched for someone to cuddle with.

“Ooh, you’re right,” Monroe said, “It does help. Maybe now some of us can get a little bit more rest.”

“Amen to that, sister,” someone called out.

When Clarke came into the room awhile later, she stopped short as she took us in. I waved my arm and her face brightened and walked quickly over to me.

“What’s all this,” she asked.

“We have, um, discovered that cuddling helps control the shivering sensation. We all woke up feeling ten times worse this morning. How are the prisoners doing?”

“I had to take the shock collars off of them last night. They were starting to dig around their necks to get them off. They’re locked in their barracks for the day, even have the wolves in there with them.”

“That’s a smart move, Clarke,” I said and then looked at the girl in my arms and said, “Hey, sweetheart, I need to get up for a bit and talk to Clarke privately. I know it’ll kick back up again, but I’ll be feeling it too. I promise, I’ll be back as soon as I can, okay?”

She nodded and closed her eyes tight as I got up. I took Clarke to just outside the door, shutting it.

“I don’t think I can do this, Clarke. I’m not a leader,” I said, suddenly fearful.

She laid a hand on my shoulder, making me squirm, and replied, “Octavia, you’ve got this. If you hadn’t notice, everyone in that room has been listening to you. You’re not demanding. You’re not being cruel. You’re not acting like they’re beneath you. They are responding to that.”

“Yeah, but we all grew up together. They know me. But, how do I know that the prisoners will treat me the same way?”

“They already do, O. They’ve been listening to you. They also look at you when you’re walking around, like they’re waiting for you to say or do something. I know you’ll do fine tonight.”

“I wish I had your faith, but I’m scared.”

“It’s alright to be scared. Hell, I’m scared too. All of us are. We’re doing things that we never imagined ourselves doing. I never imagined becoming the de facto leader and yet, here I am stumbling through the whole mess. I’m just glad our people haven’t been seriously injured or killed on my watch.”

I grinned, “I guess we both have a lot to learn about ourselves.”

“Yes, now you better get back inside, you’re practically vibrating,” Clarke said and gave me a quick hug. “You’ve got this, O.”

I nodded and hurried over to my cuddle partner. We both sighed in relief when the sensation eased.

 

It was probably an hour before it would start that we headed out to the gate. The prisoners were already there, milling about, waiting.

Walking up to them I said, “It’s clear. There are no humans outside of the bunker. If you want to shift, you can.”

They all nodded and some of them shifted immediately. It was weird seeing them shift, but I wasn’t put off seeing it. It was oddly comforting to watch, knowing that I’d be doing that soon too. We stayed separate for the time being as we all waited for the appointed hour to arrive.

A scream tore through the air and I looked to see who had screamed. It was one of the youngest ones. She was curled up on herself and as I watched horrified, I was witnessing what a first shift looked like and it looked so painful, I had to swallow the fear bubbling up in my chest. Some of the prisoners went over to her and started to comfort her through the change. Then another scream and another filled the air until that was all that was heard. The prisoners all crowded around us, giving us comfort. Nate and I were the last to start the shift and when it hit, we screamed just as loudly.

The pain was something I could have never imagined. My bones felt like they were breaking into a million pieces, my organs screamed as something was happening to them. I could start feeling my body contort and things started to recede as other things came out. I must have blacked out at some point, because I came to when I felt several snouts nudging me awake. They helped me stand on shaky legs and when I was standing on my own, they left. I opened my eyes and the world seemed sharper, more intense. I shook my body and it was such a weird feeling. I looked around me and it looked like there were wolves every where even though there were only 32 of us. There was such a myriad of colors, but I could quickly see the difference between my pack and the prisoners. 

One of the prisoners walked up to me and inclined his head.

Pakstoka, I am Charlie. You tried to save my sister Jessamine. May I ask how you are feeling?

Pakstoka?

It is the title that is given to pack leaders.

Oh. I’m feeling odd, Charlie. Is this normal?

For first time shifters, yes. The first shift is always the most painful. The next time you shift, you will hardly feel any pain at all.

I nodded my head and he grinned at me.

Pakstoka, it is nearly time for the run. May the Forest Pack join yours?

Absolutely.

Then we are yours to command this night.

Everyone started to surround me and I felt the urge to cower, but I fought it off. Taking a deep breath, I looked everyone in the eyes.

I guess I should lay out some ground rules. When we begin the run, we will be running along the perimeter of the camp only. No one and I mean no one is allowed to enter the camp proper. I don’t think the humans would take too kindly to seeing things destroyed, even if it was on accident. Don’t be afraid to let loose a little, but keep in mind that we’re here to enjoy a run, not beat each other up or hurt one another. Be respectful of those around you. If one of you sees someone fall, stop and help them back up. This is a four hour run. After that we shift back and head back to our rooms for the night. Am I understood?

The prisoners responded with ‘yes, Pakstoka,’ while my pack responded in the affirmative. I looked up at the moon and could somehow tell that we were mere minutes from the beginning of the run. With an unspoken command, everyone began shaking themselves loose and lining up along the perimeter. I automatically headed towards the front, Nate and Charlie not far behind me. When it was time, we started off slow as the first shifters got used to how our bodies now moved in wolf form. Then we started running faster.

When the urge was great, I hollered back to them, Alright, let’s have some fun!

There was a cacophony of yips and howls and I felt a grin on my face as I let loose and enjoy what it felt like to be a wolf. The wind through my fur felt exquisite. The pounding of my paws hitting the ground, the smells in the air, and the pure joy from the packs were all music to my ears. I looked around me and saw that besides running, they were leaping over one another, chasing each other, and just playing around. I joined in the fun and soon time seemed to lose all meaning. Once the run had gone on for a while, I noticed that wolves would pair off and move just off of the path we were creating. I looked around for Charlie and saw him a dozen or so feet ahead of me. I put on a burst of speed and came out alongside him. He looked over at me with a grin.

Enjoying yourself, Pakstoka?

I am, thank you. I have a question though, why are some of you pairing off and leaving the run?

Ah, yes. They are shedding the energy in a different way. There is something you must understand about the Forest Pack. We all have a healthy appetite for sex. Until we mate for life, we have many partners because it is a need that has to be constantly filled. I believe the longest anyone has gone without sex has been two months. We can abstain for a couple of weeks before the urges require us to find a partner for the night.

Realization hit me and I wanted to facepalm.

So, that’s why Nyx has her own hotel room in Old Towne. She really is a horn dog. Damn, I didn’t know that there was a reason behind it. I just thought she enjoyed it too much.

Wait. Are you speaking about Nyx Allistar?

Yes. Clarke, our leader, met and spent a night with her. Why do you ask?

Eight years ago there was an incident that cost many lives, including de Pakstoka’s siblings. They blamed her for betraying the pack and she was banished and a kill order was placed on her for it.

Huh? Well, she’s back now. Clarke informed me that Nyx was hired to help bring you all home. She was just here the other day to warn us about tonight.

I am glad. She was/is very well liked among most of the pack. She is legendary.

Why is that?

She is called Stokripa, the demon wolf. She is very powerful and before you ask it is because she carries five powers, excluding the telepathy.

Five powers?

Yes, but no one knows exactly what they are. It’s a closely guarded secret. Not even the Coalition knows the true extent of what she is or they would imprison her for the rest of her life.

That must make her very dangerous.

It does. She was de Pakstoka’s Second, but the incident happened and she is who she is now.

Sounds like she got the raw end of the deal if it wasn’t her fault.

It is, but come. You are supposed to be having fun, not discussing the past.

Very well, Charlie. Enjoy your fun.

He took off again and lost myself in thoughts about what Charlie had told me. I was brought back when someone bit my neck aggressively and I growled and snapped my teeth at them. He tried again and I bit him at the shoulder. He yelped, but he had a look of determination that I just did not like. I ran at him and pinned him against the wall, growling and snarling at him. I felt some of the wolves stop and surround us as the others continued to run.

What’s going on, Nate asked.

This one seems to think that it’s okay to bite me even after I told him no.

He tried to take advantage of you?

Yes.

One of the Forest Pack came and stood beside me and looking down at the wolf said, William, you do realize that this is their Pakstoka.

William looked at both of us and replied, So? Should she not enjoy this night to it’s fullest extent?

She rebuffed you, William and you tried again and again. I saw you. You have broken the law. She turned to look at me at me and said, Pakstoka, he has broken two of our cardinal laws. One, he tried to lay claim to you, the pack leader. Two, when you rebuffed him, he tried again several times. The most severe of these crimes is his attack on you. 

How are these crimes punished under Forest Pack laws, I asked.

It is up to the Pakstoka to decide. Though the most common is castration because he tried to lay claim to you personally. But this is your pack and you make the laws; you and your Second.

Hold him a moment.

We traded places and neared Nate and whispered, I have no clue on how to handle this.

Neither do I. The punishment has to be severe enough that no one else will try that again with you. Castration seems a little heavy handed, but then again the message would be loud and clear. We can’t kill him, which I think would be our right to do so. We could shock him, but we can’t do that until after the run and we have no place we can hold him until then.

I sighed, That only leaves us with the one alternative, because I can’t think of anything else. I walked back over to William and said to the other wolf, What’s your name?

I am Cassandra, Cass. Have you decided?

Yes. Castration it is.

Very well, she said and called out, Phillip, come over here. I have a job for you.

Soon a sleek gray and brown wolf joined us.

You called, Cass.

William here has broken the cardinal laws. He tried to lay claim to Pakstoka and on her rebuff tried again several times. She has decided his punishment shall be Castration. Will you do it?

Of course. With your permission, Pakstoka?

Do it, I said and watched as Phillip bit off Williams balls and then cauterized them with his fire power.

He deposited them at my feet and said, It is done, Pakstoka. These are yours.

Um, ew. I don’t want them. Just, just get rid of them for me, please.

With pleasure, he replied with a wolf grin and then proceeded to eat them making me gag. When he was done, he and Cassandra took off.

I took one last look at William who lay there moaning in pain, then turned my back to him and took off to finish the run. Nate stayed with me for the rest of the night, watching my back. 

A little later, howls came from the other side of the wall and the Forest Pack returned the howls.

What is it, Charlie? Who’s on the other side?

He looked at me and said, It is the Priestess and Stokripa and two other members of Forest Pack. They wish to join us in our final hour by running alongside us on the other side of the wall. May they?

Sure. The more the merrier. How do we tell them?

With this: he howled another tone and soon the other prisoners joined in. 

There was an answering howl and then everyone took off to race for the last hour. When the hour came to a close, we slowed down and gathered in front of the gate once more. With the easing of the Moon’s pull, I felt the urge to shift and let my body do it’s own thing. There were flashes of pain, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as the first one had been. Charlie was right.

Harper, Monroe, Nate and a few others went and gathered the shock collars.

I walked up to Charlie and said, “I’m sorry, but we have to put these back on you.”

He spoke for the first time and said, “We understand. I must tell you that some of us are trading places. The ones who have been stuck as wolves will spend some time in their human forms and some will become wolves. We will keep the same numbers so that your humans are none the wiser.”

“Why are you trading places?”

“This is an unfortunate side effect of being a werewolf. If we spend too much time as a wolf, we begin to lose our humanity until there is only the wolf. We don’t want to risk that happening, so we are trading places. Since you and I have a closer connection, I will stay human and help you if I can. I’m afraid after tonight though, I will no longer speak to you as such, but we may communicate telepathically if you need to.”

“Thank you, Charlie. I really appreciate all the help you’ve given me tonight.”

He bowed his head, “It was an honor, Pakstoka. Your pack did very well for the first time. But, please make sure that they understand that they cannot shift around the humans.”

“I will and thank you again.”

I gathered up my pack and we all headed back down into the bunker where’d been staying the last few days. I waited until everyone was settled before I started talking to them.

“Well, we all survived our first shift and our first Run. You all did a good job and should be proud of yourselves. There is something I must stress to you before we turn in for the night. We cannot under any circumstances shift in front of a human. If that happens, you may very well end up getting killed. I don’t mean to frighten you, but that’s the gravity of the situation we are living in. There are too many of them and not enough of us or the mages. We can’t even use our powers. The good news is that we have set up a training area to practice our powers and that would probably be the best place to shift if you have the sudden urge to. In the morning, we can all go back to our own homes. If any issues or problems come up or even if you just want to talk, you can always come to either me or Nate and we will try to help you. Now enough of me talking, I’m exhausted as I’m sure you all are. Let’s finally get some good rest.”

Yawns greeted me and I turned off the lights before I joined them in slumber.


	15. Nyx

I woke up breathing in the scent of citrus as I felt the weight of the woman I had spent yesterday with. She had her head underneath my chin and was snuggling up against my side with my arm underneath her. I ran that hand along her side until I settled on her hip. Her arm tightened in response and she shifted her head to look at me.

I smiled, “Thank you for yesterday, Dani.”

She pulled up a bit and kissed me lightly, “It was my pleasure, Nyx. It was good seeing you again.”

I chuckled, “It was good seeing you, too. And real good running beside you. I’ve missed running with other wolves.”

“I could tell,” she replied as she kissed me behind my ear making me close my eyes in pleasure. “But that can’t be all that you missed, hmm?”

“No, it wasn’t. I would have seen you again if I could have. You’re my bondmate, Dani. I’ve missed you.”

She propped herself on my chest and gave me a mischievous grin, “Have you now? God, I’ve missed you so damn much, niron. You’ve been gone for way too long. It hasn’t been the same without you these past eight years.”

“Mmm, it’s mutual,” I said as I ran my fingernails down her spine, making her moan and bury her head in my neck, biting it.

“God, what a simple touch from you does to me. I hope you stay after all of this is over.”

“I don’t know if I will or not, Dani. I have open contracts with the Old Towne Garrison and the Coalition, plus three contracts I have to take care of when I go back.”

“Well, you could still live here and maintain those contracts. You’d just change your home base.”

“I could do that, but that is for another day to decide. Right now I just want to concentrate on you.”

“Oh, I’m quite happy to oblige you,” she said as her hand traveled to my hip and her lips caressed my neck.

 

A few hours later we were crowded in the truck, having a video conference with Lexa, Gustus and the chemist.

“Okay, here’s the plan for now,” Lexa said. “The four of you are going to travel to their camp and offer up the recipe for the antidote we use on ourselves to counteract the neurotoxin. We are definitely not giving them the recipe for it. I have no desire for the humans to be able to create their own and use it against us.”

“Agreed,” I replied. “And in exchange, we remove the girl’s body and her partner and bring them back to Clifton so that everyone can properly mourn the loss of a pack member. How are we on creating a cure for humans?”

“We’re still studying the affects on a human’s brain. The gas still attacks those areas of the brain, but seems to spread through the rest of the brain, shutting down neural pathways as it spreads. In some cases, it’s quick. In others, slow. Our antidote should slow the process down and prevent more deaths from occurring,” the chemist answered.

“I don’t know why we’re even doing this at all,” Gustus said bitterly. “They’re only humans.”

“There’s at least 100 humans that are healthy. We don’t know how many adults they have that are suffering from this,” I replied. “Are you telling me that you’re okay committing genocide on the humans who were here long before the Pack claimed the territory? By rights of occupation, they own Manassas.”

“They’re a subspecies, Nyx. They’re inconsequential.”

“And how do you think the Coalition will react to such a massive culling, even if they are humans? Don’t tell me that they’ll never know, because trust me they will.”

“Are you saying that you will tell them yourself?”

“I’m not saying that. What I am telling you is that they have eyes and ears everywhere. It’s how they keep on top of things. Or did you think they just sat on their collective asses and waited for problems to come to them. It’s not how they work or I wouldn’t have had to do my last job.”

“Enough,” Lexa ordered. “What the Council has to decide is if we allow them to stay within Pack Territory. You’re right, Nyx. By rights of occupation they own Manassas. The one thing going for them is that they do have mages and their own pack. How many pack members do they have?”

“We were able to find out that there are 13 pack members and it doesn’t seem to be growing. What we counted is what they have.”

“So, we have the option of giving Manassas over to their Pakstoka. Making the humans and the mages her responsibility.”

“That’s correct. I believe that once this exchange happens, they will be more willing to begin negotiations on a peace treaty, if you decide to let them take over Manassas. They do have two techno mages, so they have the skills to keep you out. Which makes removal very difficult.”

“Especially, if we dangle the cure over their heads.”

“Right.”

“Alright. I’ll present this to the Council members and we can begin to hash out whether we let them stay or not. If we vote to allow them to stay, then we’ll hash out what we’re willing to agree to.”

“If that’s the case, I’d like to go ahead and get to their camp.”

“Very well. Daniela and David will accompany you and will bring back the girl’s body.”

“Yes ma’am. We’ll let you know immediately when the exchange has happened.”

“Good. Thank you.”

The screen black out and I turned to look at everyone, “Are y’all ready?”

“Yep,” David replied. “Let’s get our girl.”

Everyone nodded and we climbed out of the truck and into David’s and headed to the camp. We pulled up near the shield and I climbed back out.

“You again,” a guard called down to me. “What do you want this time.”

“Same thing as last time. I want to speak with Clarke.”

“It better be good,” he replied and radioed for Clarke.

15 minutes later, the shield dropped and Clarke appeared. I had better control over my desire for her, thanks to Dani.

“Hello, Clarke. How’s everything going on your side of the wall?”

“Hi, Nyx. We’ve lost three more adults since we last talked. And thank you for letting us know about the Harvest Moon. According to Octavia it was successful.”

“I’m glad to hear that it was successful. The four of us joined them during the last hour, running on this side, of course.”

She smiled, “That was nice of you.”

“We wanted them to know that we hadn’t forgotten about them. And I’m sorry for the losses you incurred, but I have a way to at least prevent more deaths from possibly occurring.”

“Oh,” she asked curiously.

“Our chemist has determined that the antidote the Pack uses to counteract the neurotoxin will slow down what is happening to your people. It’s not a cure, just a band-aid.”

“So, you’re here to what?”

“Offer an exchange. The recipe for the girl’s body and her partner.”

“We can do that. I accept.”

“Good. We’d like permission to enter the camp in order for the exchange to happen. Their Priestess would like an opportunity to speak with the Pack and give them any spiritual guidance they may need. I have two pack members with me that will take ownership of the body. And I’d like to speak with your Pakstoka. Will you agree to that as well?”

She thought about it and replied, “I don’t see the harm in it, but we have to be mindful of the humans. They’re a wary bunch. We had to lock them in the bunker last night so that the packs could run.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll be on our best behaviors and we’ll try to refrain from showing our displeasure of being among them.”

“Thank you.”

I turned and signaled everyone out of the truck and they joined us.

“Clarke, I’d like to introduce you to their Priestess, Gaia. And these two are Daniela and David.”

They all shook hands and Clarke escorted us inside. When the pack saw us, they immediately kneeled on one knee and Gaia went over to them. They started speaking in our native language as we continued on our way. We drew looks of curiosity as we walked to the bunker. Several of them started following us, but they didn’t put off that human vibe, so I saw no harm. We walked into the Morgue and were greeted by Jasper and Octavia. Silently, Octavia opened the drawer and pulled out her body. 

Dani let out a small cry, and said softly, “Jessamine.”

“I deeply apologize that our people did this to her. I want you to know that I stayed with her the whole time,” Octavia said politely.

“Thank you for that, Pakstoka. We will be sure to inform our Pakstoka that you showed great kindness to a dying girl. May we?”

Clarke nodded and they gently placed her in a body bag and left the room. Clarke turned to me expectantly and I pulled out the recipe and gave it to Jasper.

“As I explained to Clarke,” I said. “This is not the cure. It’s the antidote for those with powers. Their chemist has informed us that it will slow the process and should prevent any more deaths from occurring until a cure can be found.”

“How do we know that this isn’t a trick to kill off the humans,” he determine.

“You can’t. The Priestess and I are willing to stay as leverage until you can see for yourselves that it does what we say it will. You’ll want to place them underneath a brain scan in order to see the results. The areas that hold our powers and telepathy should clear up and the spread of the toxin should slow down immediately.”

“I think we will do that,” Clarke informed me.

I bowed my head and said, “Very well.” I touched my ear piece and said, “Gaia, you and I will stay here until they are able to ascertain the effects of your antidote.”

“I’m more than willing to do that,” she replied. “I have my hands full out here. Oh, and FYI, Charlie doesn’t want to leave the camp. He’d like to stay and help their Pakstoka learn more of what it’s like to be a werewolf. However, there is someone we need to remove, William. Apparently, he thought it was a good idea to try and force himself on their Pakstoka. She had him castrated and I know Lexa will want to punish him further for putting his fellow members in danger.”

“Alright, I’ll let Clarke know and then let you know.”

“Very well,” she said.

I looked at Clarke and said, “Gaia has informed me that Charlie does not want to leave the camp, but rather stay here and help Pakstoka. She’s also informed me that one of the pack members, a William, attacked you, Pakstoka. You’ve already punished him, but we’d like to remove him from your custody and bring him in front of their Pakstoka.”

“Oh, thank you,” Octavia said, relieved. “I didn’t know what else I could do with him. You have my blessing to remove him.”

“Thank you,” I said inclining my head. “We’ll need the shock collar removed and shackles placed on him. In order to transport him back to the capital.”

Clarke nodded and ordered it. I informed Gaia who then informed David. Jasper left to begin making the antidote leaving me with Clarke.

“May I assume that you have questions, Pakstoka,” I asked Octavia.

“I do.”

“Then feel free to ask away. I should be able to answer them.”

“Should I leave,” Clarke asked.

“No, I won’t be giving away any Pack secrets. Honestly, it’d be to your betterment if you learn as well. This is your world now. But, could we find a better place to have this conversation. I’m not thrilled to be talking amongst the dead.”

“Of course, we can go to the Council Room. Do you mind if the others join us?”

“No, I don’t mind. The better educated you all are, the better off you’ll be. I’ll even be able to explain the powers you now possess.”

“Awesome,” she said and radioed for everyone, but Jasper to join us in the Council Room.

We arrived after everybody and we sat down to join them.

“Guys, I’d like to formally introduce you to Nyx Allistar. She’s acting as a go between us and the Forest Pack’s leader,” she said and then speaking to me said, “Let me introduce everyone: Monty and Raven, our techno mages; Nate Miller, Octavia’s Second I think you call it; Harper and Monroe, two of our werewolves, and Eric Jackson, our…”

Looking at him and seeing his medical coat and said, “Healer. Very rare to have that power. There’s only about twenty along the East Coast. You’re very lucky to have one in your camp.”

He blushed and looked down at his hands.

“Octavia,” I said drawing her attention to me, “You have questions?”

“I guess one of the big things on my mind is how did werewolves and mages appear,” she asked.

“Actually, it’s wereanimals. There are were-bears, coyotes, bobcats, panthers, eagles, foxes that we call kitsune, and um, mountain lions. Really any big predator that is found along the East Coast, minus the cold-blooded animals. As to why the appearance after the apocalypse, our scientists haven’t really been able to pinpoint the cause, but it’s assumed that the resulting radiation mutated the genetic code in humans which in turn began producing wereanimals and mages. All of us have various powers. Some strong, some weak. It depends on the person. There’s no telling which power will show up in what person, though sometimes it appears that it is hereditary.”

“Are there other weres in this territory?”

“No, but there are some exceptions. Because of the region itself, sometimes a feline, bear or eagle are born here, but they eventually travel to their respective packs. You’ll only find werewolves in this territory.”

“How many packs are there?”

“I don’t know off the top of my head, but each territory has a head pack and there are usually smaller packs in the territory because of location.”

“Is it common for each mage and were to have only one power?”

“Yes, that is the norm, but with all things there are exceptions. The most I’ve come across is 3 powers and they are on the Coalition Council.”

“Charlie told me that you have more than that. Is it true that you have five?”

I growled low, “He should not have passed on that information to you. No one outside the pack knows about it. But in answer to your question, yes I have five.”

They all whistled in astonishment.

“Can you tell us how our powers work,” Clarke asked.

I nodded, “In each of us, there is a space in us, a well so to speak. As we use our power, the well depletes. If you continue to use your power when the well runs dry, it starts consuming your life energy. If you use that up, you die. So, you must always be aware of how much power you’re using. To use your power, it’s a matter of will. You think it, it appears. When you focus, you can pretty much do or create anything you put your mind to creating. Now, you can create it out of the air, but it takes a lot more energy to do so. It’s best to use physical representations of your powers.”

“What if your power is the very air itself,” Harper asked.

“Then it will not cost you much energy unless you’re creating something big, like a tornado or a huge windstorm.”

“What if you don’t have as deep as well, as you call it,” Monroe asked.

I smiled at her in sympathy, “It severely limits what you can do. You’ll only be able to create small things or complete small tasks, I’m sorry to say.”

“Bummer,” she replied and pouted a bit.

“To get better and to learn to use less energy, you have to practice. It took me quite a while to master each power and I made many mistakes along the way.”

“What if your power is more intuitive,” Raven asked.

“Intuitive powers have their own rules to follow. From what my partner, Ben, said, it’s a matter of sharpening the mind, because that’s where the power lies. Work on focus and you’re able to create more then just shields that can pass through shields. If you put your mind to solving a problem in front of you or an idea you’d like to try, the power will help you see how to either solve it or how to create it. So, the sharper the mind, the more you’re able to do.”

“Out of curiosity, how long have werewolves been around,” Octavia asked. “We’ve read the fiction and myths and it seems like werewolves have been around for centuries.”

“We have been. We were the first weres ever created or born, depending on the theory. The most popular theory, legend, is that we date back to the Capitoline Wolf. The one who nourished Romulus and Remus. Legend states that they were the very first werewolves.”

“Can you tell me how a pack operates?”

“Sure. Each pack has a pack leader and a Second. That would be you and Nate, if I’m feeling things right. In such a small pack like yours, the two of you act as the governing body. You make the laws, everyday guidelines, and appropriate punishments for those that break them. The Second also acts like a head of security. A type of personal bodyguard. Those next on the power totem, are the ones that keep an eye on the rest of the pack. Making sure that everyone is well cared for, babysitting the kids, and teaching and guiding the young ones. After that, the rest of the pack is placed by the type of power. If they have earth, they’ll help maintain crops or if they’re strong enough, you’ll have your own chemist. You’ll have a weapons trainer, scouts, fighters, and so on. The reason why it’s a pack is because it’s everyone’s duty to insure the pack survives. If you live in a territory, you are obligated to sign a treaty with the pack leader of the territory. It usually states that for protection and help, your pack will return the favor. If the territory is in trouble the pack leader may call upon you to help. Typically, it’s a call to arms. The Second will take the strongest fighters and fight for the territory. That’s a pack in a nutshell.”

“One last question, I think,” Clarke said. “What exactly is an Enforcer?”

I smiled and leaned back in my chair, “An Enforcer is a jack of all trades. Espionage, counterintelligence, saboteur, tracker, bounty hunter, investigator, and assassin. It depends on what the client needs.”

“You’ve killed people for money?”

“It’s part of my contract with the Coalition. If they need a threat removed, they usually have me do it. It’s not an easy life, and I don’t always like doing it. If I don’t fulfill my job the Coalition has assigned me, there’s a heavy price to pay that ranges from loss of money to death, so I try and stay on their good side. I want to stay underneath their radar.”

“The Coalition sounds like it’s very tyrannical.”

“They can be. They take any infractions to the laws they’ve created very seriously. If a pack wants to move or set up another base somewhere outside their territory they have to send up written requests and verifiable reasons as to why they’ve requested the move. If another pack is created, the proper paperwork has to be sent to the Coalition.”

“Does that mean, I’ll have to do that,” Octavia asked.

“Eventually, yes. Once you’ve established your own little territory, you’ll have to do it.”

“Are there any more questions,” Clarke asked.

A round of no’s and Clarke dismissed them. Only Octavia and Clarke stayed.

“That was a lot of information,” Octavia said. “Thank you for answering them.”

“It was my pleasure. There’s a lot to handling your own pack. That’s why you have a Second. To split the responsibility. I understand that this is a very new and scary world for you guys and I’m open to helping you out when I can.”

“How do you know about all of this?”

“At one point in time, I was de Pakstoka’s Second. It was my responsibility to learn all of this. I took my position very seriously.” A sudden thought occurred to me and I asked, “Is there any scrap metal in this room?”

“Yeah, why?”

I grinned, “You’ll see. Where is it?”

“Over in that corner,” Clarke pointed to a corner by the far wall.

Without thinking about it, I drew the scrap metal to me and laid them into two separate piles. I looked up and saw them staring at me wide eyed.

“Sorry, I should have warned you about my telekinesis. I sometimes use it without thinking. Saves me time, you know. Anyway, Octavia, would you shift for me and what’s your power?”

“Sure, how do I do that?”

“Um, just let your wolf out.”

“Huh?”

I laughed, “Take a peek inside yourself, she’s there and I’m sure she wants to come out and preen for me.”

“Okay,” she said and closed her eyes briefly and suddenly she was a wolf.

“Your power?”

Water.

I stared at her a moment longer and then said, “You can shift back now, I got what I needed.”

She shifted back with ease and then I took a moment to study Clarke. When I had them memorized and knew what I wanted to create, I held my hands over both piles. They slowly started taking shape as I melted and molded them to what I wanted.

When it was done, in the place of the scrap metal stood two statues. Clarke’s was a statue of her holding a bow with a lightening bolt held in her hands as she searched for a target, with a cluster of small lightening bolts like the one in her hand in the ground beside her. Behind her, were a series of bolts that spanned outward from her back like wings. Octavia’s was much simpler, but more detailed. It was her wolf form standing upon a rock with waves crashing against it as she howled at an unseen moon. The final touch were the names of the statues in my native tongue. Clarke’s was actually in Latin and called Fulgur Magum. Octavia’s was called Pakstoka kom Lanik.

I presented them and they each looked amazed as they took in the details of my gifts.

“Fulgur Magum?”

“Lightening Mage. Latin.”

“And Pakstoka kom Lanik?”

“Wolf of the Sea, in my native language.”

They traded statues, taking each other’s in and started pointing out the minute details. I just smiled, thankful that the liked my gifts.

“These are beautiful. Thank you,” Clarke said as she gave me a hug.

Octavia hugged me too and said, “Thank you, Nyx. These are amazing.”

“Your welcome.”

“I’m going to go put this in my room, right now,” Octavia said and ran off closing the door behind her.

I chuckled at seeing her so happy, it made me feel good.

Clarke set hers on the table and said, “I really appreciate the gesture, but can I ask why?”

I walked over to her and gently tugged her to me and I whispered, “Because you deserve it.” And kissed her.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and deepened the kiss. I pushed her up against the table as my lips traveled down her neck. She moaned and her hands threaded through my hair. I wanted all of her, but I knew I couldn’t this time. It didn’t stop me from lifting her up and laying us on the table. We spent a while remembering each other’s taste and curves.

“They can see us,” Clarke gasped out.

“I don’t care. We’re not going beyond this.”

“Mm-kay,” she said as I found a particularly sensitive spot.

We carried on until Clarke’s communicator beeped. I growled low in my throat and Clarke laughed. I got off of her and rolled onto my back, getting control of my breathing again.

Clarke sat up and pulled out the communicator, clearing her throat before she said, “Yes?”

“The antidote, not antidote is ready for testing,” Jasper said.

“Okay, we’re on our way,” she replied.

We scooted off the table and Clarke grabbed her statue before we left the room. I stopped her before she walked out the door and kissed her gently. We walked out the door and I caressed her ass before I left her alone for the time being.


	16. Lexa

I felt a stab of jealousy when I saw Nyx pull Clarke into a final kiss and then caress her ass. She used to do something like that with me every time we were the last to leave a room. I perversely rewound the footage and started watching it again. Clarke putting down the statue and then having a make out session with my Nyx. But, Nyx wasn’t mine anymore. I had seen to that. We may still be bondmates, but we were no longer each other’s loves.

“How many times have you watched that, Lexa,” a voice said from the doorway, making me jump.

I turned around and saw my old teacher standing in the door.

“Just the once,” I lied.

She didn’t buy it, which meant that she’d been standing there for long enough to see me watch and then rewind.

“You no longer have a claim on her, Lexa,” she said as she came to sit beside me in front of the monitors. “You made sure of it during your grief. My question is why didn’t you kill her?”

“I, I couldn’t,” I admitted. “I love, loved, her and I couldn’t bear it to mourn one more person.”

“You gave her a fate worse than death by doing so.”

“Worse than death?”

“You tore her away from her home, her family, her friends. You made sure that she could never return. You denied her the right to mourn the loss of her brother. You broke her heart by not believing her. By being swayed by your grief and the hatred who bore ill will towards her.”

“The facts were irrefutable. There were no indications that Ice Pack had ever crossed that border. Only her marks and teeth were found. On my family…”

“And yet she cannot recall that truth. Instead, she remains adamant that she left her post to only return to find the Ice Pack laying waste to those that were under her command. She sees the facts, but she can’t understand how she could have ever done something like that or why she would.”

“Are you saying that she was manipulated?”

“She could very well have been. You know as well as I do that there are drugs that can manipulate the mind. That there are telepaths who can change someone’s reality and make them see things that aren’t really there. Instead, you chose to believe that she killed your sisters and was marrying you only to remove the Devereux line from being de Pakstoka and place her lineage in that position instead.”

“That was the only rational gain that could have pushed her.”

“Her family has served yours for generations, Lexa. Not once have they shown disloyalty or sought to usurp your family. Not even feeling the need to start a Pack of their own. Her least of all. She devoted her whole life to your family. To you. Why would she be willing to throw that all away just to lay claim to a title none of them ever desired?”

“But it’s the only thing that makes sense,” I yelled. “Why else lie about an attack when there was none. Why else claim no memory of the act. Why else would she kill my sisters.”

“Why would she kill her own brother? The Allistars have always been a tight knit family. Why wouldn’t she have saved him?”

“To make her story more believable, of course.”

“You’re just feeding me the same lines that had been whispered in your ear, Lexa. The question is, now that it’s been 8 years, do you still believe in those lines?”

I looked at her and studied her face. I saw no malice, even though she was their ally. I only saw a teacher who was trying to help a student understand a difficult problem. So, I thought about it.

“I don’t know what the truth is anymore, Indra,” I admitted. “It all made sense at the time. Even now it makes sense.”

“And yet she avoids you, remains professional, and hasn’t sought out to reconnect with her family or her friends. She hasn’t tried to besmirch your name or your family’s. She hasn’t bemoaned about the injustice of it all. She hasn’t claimed that she was framed. She hasn’t done anything to turn the pack against you. Does she even wish to rejoin the pack when this is over?”

I shook my head sadly, “She claims to only want the money and to be able to visit what was once her home. Why would she not want to rejoin the pack? To belong to something again?”

“Why would she want her motives questioned if she chose to do so? Why would she want to constantly look over her shoulder? Why would she want to put her family at risk? Why would she want to place you at risk?”

“She doesn’t want to because it’s safer?”

“I can’t answer that question. What would she even do if she did rejoin the pack. She was trained to be your Second. She has trained to become the best Enforcer on the East Coast. Do you really think she would be happy as a scout or out on patrol? Would she even be allowed to do so? What would the Council be willing to allow her to do for the rest of her life?”

“I need to go,” I said suddenly and stood up to leave.

“Before you go, one more thought for you to think about. Gustus’ family has always been jealous of the relationship between the Allistars and the Devereuxs. Now, the family has moved up the food chain since you chose Gustus as your Second. The Allistars no longer wish anything to do with Clifton. And Gustus nearly killed her on the way to the border, even though you expressly forbade it. Who really had more to gain?”

I nodded curtly and all but ran to my room. I shut the door behind me and leaned heavily against it as Indra’s words echoed in my head. I don’t really remember that time after the attack. What was said or what was done. All I remembered was the grief and anger. And the constant whispering in my ears.

What Indra said was true. The Allistar family had served mine for generations without a hint of wanting more power. They were happy serving de Pakstoka. They felt it was their responsibility and duty to make sure the Devereux line stayed in power.

Nyx only ever had my best interests in mind. She’d shown it time and time again, ever since we were little kids running around. She always protected me. She and her brother always looked out for me and my sisters. As her mother protected mine. I remember that I had to pester her to admit that she loved me and when she finally admitted it, I only saw truth in her eyes. She even felt that accepting my proposal would make the relationship between de Pakstoka and Second become compromised. And yet somehow I had won her over.

I sighed in frustration and walked over to the mantel and took down the statue she had made for me, like she had for Clarke and the pack leader. She rarely made statues. She had said that she only made them for the people that she felt were important to her. People that she really cared about. 

I ran my fingers over the curves of the two women that lay in a field of fire. Their body’s entwined as they made love. It was us. It showed the depth of her love for me. She even called it “Woman in Love.” It was an engagement gift. I couldn’t make myself get rid of it or hide it away. Even after everything.

When I saw her sitting in the office, it was like time had never moved forward. She sat as she had many times before, even in the same armchair. She spoke with clarity, with honesty as she had always done when we spoke. She was still breathtakingly beautiful. I wanted her and when she looked at me, I thought she still wanted me. That was why I felt that pang of jealousy. I wanted her. I wanted to claim her again as mine. 

But time had gone forward and as it always does, everything changes. I didn’t know that Gustus had left her for dead just on the other side of the border. I thought she’d be grateful that I’d spared her life. That her family would have been grateful. Neither one had.

I put the statue back on the mantel and walked over to the windows to look out over the backyard. Indra had been right that Gustus’s family had always been jealous of the families’ relationship. They had been a fourth tiered family. Now, they were first tiered. They had most definitely moved up on the food chain and lorded it over everyone. Thinking that they were above them. I had chosen Gustus because he was strong, capable and willing to become my Second. None of the other first tiered families wanted to. Not even the second or third tiered. None of them had felt worthy enough to step into the shoes of the Allistar family. The Allistar family had set the bar high and no one thought they’d ever come close to reaching that bar. None.

After Nyx’s banishment, many families had removed themselves from Clifton and joined the Allistars in the south. It was their way of protesting the punishment and the refusal to execute Nyx. Even though they had faith in her, they would have rather seen her die then banished. I didn’t understand it.

A knock sounded on the door, drawing me out of my thoughts and I called out, “Enter.”

The door opened to reveal Gustus.

“What is it, Gustus?”

He bowed his head before he said, “The Council has convened and are waiting for you.”

“Have you had word from Nyx?”

“No, Pakstoka. The only word I have received is that Daniela and David were on their way back with Jessamine’s body and William.”

I was confused, because her brother Charlie should have been the one to accompany her, not William.

“Why is William accompanying Jessamine’s body and not Charlie?”

“They only said that he was involved in an incident during the Running of the Harvest Moon.”

“Thank you, Gustus. Please inform the Council that I will be there shortly.”

He bowed his head again and replied, “Yes, Pakstoka.”

He left and closed the door behind him.

I waited a moment before I made my way quickly back to Ben’s lab. I knocked and Ben looked up at me.

“Is there something that I can do for you, Ms. Devereux?”

“Yes there is actually. Can you contact Nyx or Gaia for me?”

“Of course,” he replied and turned on the radio and called for either one of them.

Gaia answered and he handed me the headphones.

“Gaia, can you tell me why William is escorting Jessamine’s body instead of Charlie?”

“Charlie wished to stay and help the camp’s Pakstoka and I allowed it. William is escorting the body because he tried to take advantage of their Pakstoka and when she rebuffed him, he tried again several times before she brought him down. Cass and Phillip vouched for the incident and were both there when William was castrated for his crimes. In fact, it was Phillip that performed the castration.”

I seethed with anger as she told me. William had broken cardinal law. He would pay for attacking another pack leader. I’d make sure of it.

“Thank you, Gaia, for letting me know. He will pay dearly for his crimes, I promise you that.”

“Yes, Pakstoka.”

“Are you done with the camp?”

“Not yet. We’re still waiting on confirmation that our antidote works on slowing the spread of the antitoxin. Last I checked, they were heading down to see the test.”

“How long ago was that?”

“Roughly half an hour ago. I’m not sure what’s taking so long. She’s been rather silent.”

I looked over at Ben and he nodded to confirm.

I sighed and said, “Inform Ben immediately once she makes contact with you. I’m about to head in to speak with the Council and I need as much information as I can get.”

“Yes, Pakstoka,” she replied.

I ended the communication and looked at Ben, “Is there a way to inform me, without drawing attention to us?”

“Of course,” he said smiling and held out a small earpiece. “Put this in your ear and I can speak with you directly. It’s two way though, so I’ll be able to hear the Council Meeting. If you wish I can draw up a quick non disclosure agreement for you?”

“That won’t be necessary, Ben. In fact, if you can relay the talks to Nyx. I want to have her as informed as she can be.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll make sure that she stays informed.”

“Good, man,” I said as I clapped him on the back.

He inclined his head and I headed to the Council Room. 

The room was once a small ballroom before the apocalypse and the décor showed it. Chandeliers hung from each corner of the room. The ceiling featured a crown molding of running wolves chasing each other. The middle of the ceiling was recessed and bordered with more wolves. In between the molding and the border was simple scrollwork with no real design. On the wall facing outward, there were a series floor to ceiling french door interspersed with candle sconces. On the opposite side was a huge fireplace, the mantel featuring wolves in the scrollwork. Over the fireplace hung a painter’s rendition of the Capitoline Wolf. The walls were done in a plain blue grey wallpaper that went ¾’s of a way down and the last ¼ was simple plaster with a mold running the borders. There were three doors that led to other parts of the house and the floor was different types of wood laid out in a geometric design. 

In the middle of the room was the Council table. A simple, utilitarian U shape where the Council members sat along both lengths while myself, Gustus, and Indra sat at the bottom of the U. 

Everyone stood as I entered and waited patiently as I made my way to my seat. Once I stood in front of it, I inclined my head and we sat down. They sat a fraction of a second after I did. I looked around the room and took note of everyone’s body language. It was varied and I saw boredom, nervousness, displeasure, and curiosity.

“Thank you for coming here today, Council Members,” I said into the quiet room. “We’re here to discuss the situation that is currently happening in Manassas. But first let us give thanks to Mother Earth for providing us with her wisdom, courage, and strength to guide our Pack and keep them safe.”

We all inclined our heads with closed eyes for a moment then we turned to the business at hand.

“As we know, Manassas has been empty of people since we emerged after the apocalypse. It remained so, because of rumors that it was haunted and thought to harbor bad luck. Recently, a group of invaders entered the town and set up a camp with a little over 100 people. We finally have an answer as to who these people are and where they came from. They are the descendants of the original residents of Manassas.”

Quiet murmuring filled the room as they took this in.

“Where have they been this entire time,” the member representing the north asked.

“They have been living in a bunker underneath the town hall,” I replied.

“If they lived there all this time and weren’t subjected to the radiation as our ancestors were, does that mean they are humans,” the member of the southeast asked.

“Yes, much to my dismay. The majority of the residents are indeed human, though somehow there is a small pack of 13 werewolves and 9 mages. It also means that by rights of occupation, the last 83 years they have resided within the bunker means that they own Manassas.”

“That’s preposterous,” the member of the west cried out. “Humans cannot own any property! We all know this. The Coalition has decreed it so.”

“Now, hold on Silas,” I replied calmly. “I’m not saying that the humans own Manassas. The pack and the mages do. There just so happens to be a large number of humans within the camp.”

“Oh,” he said as he leaned back in his chair, “my apologies, Pakstoka.”

I inclined my head, “We also know that 5 teams were sent to Manassas and never returned. The good news is that they are alive, but are their prisoners. The bad news is that Jessamine Valdez was killed through the misconduct of some of the ones that were assigned to guard our pack members.”

Angry roars filled the room and it took the three of us to calm them down.

“Enough,” I yelled “Enough. The criminals that have done this grave injustice are currently locked up in their prison. The reason that they have not been executed or given a severe punishment is because these people are different. The come from a time when rules, laws, and punishments were different. We cannot fault them for that. Am I understood?”

Begrudgingly, they all nodded, but remained quietly seething.

“Will her body be returned to us?”

“Yes. It is being transported back here as we speak. Now, let me circle back around to the humans, because that is our biggest concern. The 100 we see are not the the whole of the population. When the neurotoxin was released after the first team disappeared, there was an unforeseen effect on the humans over the age of 30. As designed, the neurotoxin inhibited those portions of the brain where our powers and telepathy comes from. Instead of inhibiting, the neurotoxin attacked those areas in the humans and spread outward to the rest of the brain, ultimately killing them. In exchange for Jessamine’s body and one other person, we provided their chemist with the recipe for our antidote. I am still waiting for confirmation on whether it slows down the spread of the toxin.”

“Who has been giving you this information and mediating with their camp,” one of members asked.

“I have hired an Enforcer that the Coalition highly recommended, Nyx Allistar.”

The room erupted into a yelling match between those that supported Nyx and those that called for her death.

“Enough,” Gustus bellowed and smack the table with his fist. “de Pakstoka wishes to speak.”

“Thank you, Gustus,” I said and he inclined this head. Turning my attention back to the room, I said, “I have temporarily lifted both the banishment and kill order in order for her to come here. As I have said, the Coalition highly recommended her. The Coalition kindly showed me her track record on the jobs she has done for them and it is impressive. Every job that she has been assigned was a success with minimal damage, if any. As a freelance Enforcer, all of her past clients have raved about her performance and professionalism, and that includes Old Towne’s Garrison Commander. Because of her reputation and the reviews of her past clients, she is the only choice to complete this job without dragging the Coalition into our Territory.”

“You were saying about the humans,” Indra asked bringing the meeting back to the matter at hand.

“Thank you. Now the only thing we may offer up at this time to the Manassas leadership is a cure for those afflicted by the neurotoxin. If we cannot provide them with that, we cannot begin to discuss with them the possibility of ending this situation.”

“Why not just let the humans die,” the northwest council member asked. “In fact, why don’t we just kill them all?”

“We can’t do that,” I replied. “As Ms. Allistar has told myself and Gustus, if we kill such a large population of humans, it will draw the attention of the Coalition. If we let those that have been struck down by the neurotoxin die, then we leave ourselves open to a more lethal conflict. They have only captured our people and through misconduct, killed one of our own. No other lives have been taken and they have only set up a defensive position.”

Ben’s voice sounded in my ear, “Ms. Devereux, the antidote has been a success. It’s slowing down the spread of the neurotoxin, even receding it a bit. Nyx has been able to bring Clarke and the others to our side of thinking. They’d be willing to set up a meeting between themselves and the Pack. The main concern is how to make the humans agreeable to the fact that they are no longer in charge and the fact they are a subspecies.”

I nodded to myself and turned my attention back to the meeting and said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I’ve just been informed that the antidote is doing what we’ve hoped. It has slowed down the spread of the neurotoxin, bringing there leadership closer to agreeing to a summit. Now the harder task that has to be tackled is how to explain to over a 100 humans that the world they knew is no more. That we exist and have become the apex predators and that they are now considered a subspecies.”

“Do you think their pack and mages are in danger,” asked the southwest member.

“If the humans find out that we exist, yes. There’s more of them then there are of werewolves and mages. It’s a dangerous predicament. One I don’t want to see happen. I’m not willing to put them in danger if we can sway some of the humans onto our side.”

“How do we do that?”

I shook my head, “I do not know, that’s why we are all here. We need a way to get the humans on our side.”


	17. Nyx

“I’m glad that the antidote is helping your people, Clarke,” I said as we walked back into the sunshine.

“So am I. Now, we just have to see if it drops the mortality rate,” she replied.

“True. The chemist is still working on a solution. It’s a slow process because she has to study the effects on a live human brain. “

“The chemist is conducting on live humans,” she asked, shocked by the idea.

“It’s the only way,” I replied. “Even Jasper would agree. It’s why he used live humans to test the antidote.”

“Does this world really think so less of humans?”

“We do. I’ve already explained this. If there were more humans in the world, that might change, but it is what it is. Even the population in this camp would not be large enough to press for change.”

“So, do you know what happens now?”

“Now the Council knows who you are and where you came from. The amount of humans in your camp. Their priority will turn to making sure the werewolves and mages are kept safe from the humans. Since there is such a low percentage of you, your lives are in constant danger. The Council will not stand by and let that happen.”

“What kind of solutions could they possibly think of?”

“Genocide of the humans here, but they’ll quickly throw that out of the window to keep the Coalition from becoming aware. Removing mages and werewolves from Manassas and setting you up elsewhere within the territory and permanently locking down the humans from ever leaving Manassas. Or turning your humans over to our side and accepting your leadership and that of de Pakstoka.”

“Those are our only choices,” she asked worriedly.

“Those are the ones that I can think of. Your safety is what’s paramount. Then on top of that, Octavia needs to register her pack and show proof that de Pakstoka is allowing her to stay within the territory.”

We stopped by the edge of the field and waited for Gaia to join us.

I dug in my pocket and removed an ear piece and said, “Clarke, I’d like you to have this. That way if there is a need to communicate, we have a means to do so. That way I don’t have to come out here every few days.”

She took the ear piece and placed in her ear and said, “Thank you. But does this mean I won’t see you again?”

I smiled, “It does not. I promise we will see each other again.”

“Good,” she said nodding and returning my smile.

“Is everything good to go,” Gaia asked when she joined us.

“Yes, the antidote does stop the spread of the toxin,” I replied as we walked out of the gate.

“I’m glad. I may not like humans, but as with all creatures, I do not like seeing them suffer,” she replied.

“Nor do I.”

A noise drew our attention towards the forest and as we watched as a buggy burst through it and was coming straight at us. Without thinking, I put myself between the buggy and Gaia and Clarke. It skidded to a stop showering us with rocks and dirt. When the dust settled, a young woman jumped out of the driver’s seat and ran at me. I tensed further, but when I saw her face I became overjoyed. She launched herself and I caught her and twirled us around. 

Laughing I said, “Sephy, oh my god! I’ve missed you so, so much!”

“I missed you, too, Nyx,” she replied hugging me tightly. “Indra told mother that you were here and I just had to come. I just had to.”

I put her down and said, “Let me look at you. God, you’ve gotten so big!”

“Eight years will do that,” she replied and both our faces darkened briefly, then we shook it off.

 

 

Clarke

 

I watched as this girl leapt into Nyx’s arms, both of them laughing and crying. I could tell that it was a reunion and I had a brief pang of jealousy. I looked over at Gaia and saw her smiling, tears glistening in her eyes.

“Who is she,” I asked

“That is Nyx’s little sister, Persephone, or Sephy as we call her. She was only eight when Nyx was banished. Without any contact in eight years, my mother and I thought they deserved to see each other again,” Gaia replied.

“No contact in eight years? Why?”

“Eight years ago, something happened along the northern border. On the other side of the border lies the Ice Pack territory. Word had been received that the Ice Pack was planning on crossing into our territory and Lexa ordered Nyx to take a force and protect the border. None of us is sure as to exactly what happened, but when the dust settled, nearly everyone in her command had been killed. They found her unconscious laying on the top of our own people. When there was no evidence to support what was in her statement and all the evidence pointed to her as the sole attacker, instead of executing her, Lexa banished and placed a kill order on her. She hasn’t been able to set foot inside the territory until now.”

“That’s horrible,” I said in horror. “Nyx doesn’t seem capable of doing such a thing. If she was, she wouldn’t be helping my people. She’d be pushing to kill the humans.”

“You’re right,” Gaia replied. “And the majority of the families argued exactly that. The families that bore the Allistars ill will were able to push Lexa into believing that Nyx’s goal was to remove the Devereuxs from power and placing her family there instead. They pointed out that she had killed Lexa’s sisters and the idea that Nyx only agreed to marry Lexa so that she could become de Pakstoka by killing Lexa.”

“Again, that seems out of character for Nyx.”

Gaia nodded, “That’s why when the Allistars relocated to a different pack within the territory, many other families joined them. Leaving Lexa with fewer allies. Now a fourth tiered family controls the position of Second.”

“Why didn’t Lexa have her executed if her crime was so horrendous?”

“Because even in her grief, Lexa still loved her. She thought she was being merciful. Instead, it was a fate worse then death. Nyx is only now really starting to heal her spirit.”

“Seeing them,” I said pointing to Nyx and her sister, “I can understand how it is a fate worse then death. To be denied the only home she’d ever known. To not have contact with her friends and family. I don’t think I could survive that kind of punishment.”

“Most can’t. Lexa even made it impossible for Nyx to apply for membership into another pack. So, she’s been packless and alone for eight years.”

“She’s been denied so much, why would she ever agree to taking on this job?”

“Because she cares about what happens to the pack. And Lexa dangled some very desirable fruit in front of her. But let’s stop this for now, if she continues to want to see you, you’ll be able to find out the answers to your questions. You have a hold on her that I haven’t seen since Lexa.”

I blushed and noticed Nyx and Persephone approaching us.

With a huge grin on her face and her arm wrapped tightly about her sister’s shoulders, she said, “Clarke, I’d like to introduce you to my little sister, Persephone. Persephone this is Clarke, the head mage and leader of this camp.”

I held out my hand and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Persephone.”

She readily shook it and she did that little shimmy that meant I had accidentally discharged my lightening on her. She grinned and let my hand go.

“It’s nice to meet you too, Clarke,” she replied. “We should be heading back though, Nyx. It’s getting late.”

Nyx rolled her eyes which made me laugh, “Yes, mother. I’m sorry Clarke, but she’s right. We’ve spent too long here and everyone will begin to worry.”

“Of course,” I replied. “I understand. It was a pleasure meeting both of you.”

“Our’s as well,” Gaia replied with an incline of her head, “Come on, Sephy. Let’s give these two a moment.”

“But..,” she whined.

“No, buts, young lady. Nyx will be fine,” she said and dragged Persephone away.

I laughed and looked at Nyx, who had a huge grin on her face.

“You’ve missed her,” I said gently.

“That I have. I’ve missed both of them. I’m just sorry I won’t be able to see my mother while I’m here,” she replied as the grin dimmed.

“I’m sorry, Nyx,” I said as I took a few steps closer.

“It is what it is, Clarke,” she replied and pulled me closer to her. “And now that we’re alone, I can give you a proper goodbye.”

She leaned down and kissed me. I returned it hungrily and tightened my arms around her waist. We pulled away breathless and Nyx chuckled.

“I’m glad I’ve made such an impression on you,” she said, stroking my face.

“I think you’ve done more than that.”

“Hmm. And you’ve done the same to me, beautiful.”

The buggy’s horn sounded and Nyx growled and then sighed, “I apparently have stood here saying goodbye for too long. Goodnight, Clarke.”

“Goodnight, Nyx,” I said and kissed her gently.

She let me go completely and jogged to the buggy, climbing in. I watched as the buggy spun it’s tires and then took off back to the forest. I turned and saw Raven leaning against the gate.

“That was purely magical to watch, Clarke,” she said when I neared her.

I stuck my tongue out at her and said, “Whatever, Raven. So, we have feelings for one another. It’s not a big deal.”

“It is for her,” she said as we walked through the gate. “I overheard Gaia telling you what happened to her. She’s real lucky to have found you.”

“Do you really think so,” I asked serious.

“Yes, I really do. It sounds like this Lexa really did a number on her if she’s only now opening up. You just have to remember that she’s a promiscuous woman and she will more then likely sleep around. Not because she wants to, but that she needs to.”

“My head knows that, but my heart doesn’t like it.”

“Well, come on,” she said, pulling me behind her. “Dinner has been served and your Council awaits.”

“Ugh, do we really have to call it ‘my Council,’” I whined.

“You became the de facto leader. You are the strongest mage. So, yes it is your Council.”

I sighed mournfully and allowed her to drag me away.


	18. Echo

It had taken me three weeks to finally make it to the town of Lock Haven, home of the Bear King and the Ice Pack. That bitch, Nyx Allistar, had nearly killed me that night in Old Towne, but I was sure that I had returned the favor twice fold. She shouldn’t have even been alive, but there was no mistaking a pure black werewolf streaking across the grounds. That didn’t matter now, I was home and I had to face the music.

I limped my way up the castle gates and banged on the door. The door slit opened and I saw eyes glare at me.

“Whadya want, wolf,” his menacing voice asked.

Holding myself as steady as I could, I replied, “I’m here to see the Bear King.”

He scoffed, “His highness has no need for a broken down werewolf. Be off wid ya.”

“It’s important,” I said desperately. “Tell him his spy has returned.”

“You, his spy? Don’t make me laugh, wolf. Now get off or you will regret it.”

I glared at him and then made him open the door for me. Sometimes, having strong telepathy had it’s perks. I walked past him and tapped him on his cheek. He stared dumbly at me and then closed the door. I continued on my way and made it 20 feet into the courtyard before I was surrounded by his guards.

“Just stop right there, wolf,” the head guard said. “State your business.”

“I’m here to see the Bear King. I’ve just come back from Old Towne. I have news to report.”

He barked a laugh, “Wolf, Old Towne was destroyed, killing everyone. No one survived and you expect him to see you.”

“Yes. Tell him that de Pakstoka’s Second didn’t die 8 years ago. He’ll understand.”

He growled menacingly, “What do you mean that bitch survived?”

“It is of no concern of yours, wor heda. It’s for the Bear King’s ears only.”

He glared at me, but then sent one of his men to inform the King. I could barely stand and swayed to keep upright as I waited. When he returned, he whispered in the wor heda’s ear. They both grinned maliciously and I knew that it would not bear well for me.

“The king has agreed to meet with you, wolf,” the wor heda replied, “but I am afraid that you are not attired properly.”

I was roughly thrown to the ground and my arms pulled behind my back as they placed shackles on my wrists. Then I was hauled up and nearly dragged to the throne room, where I was unceremoniously thrown at the foot of the dais that led to the throne. I scrambled to my knees and kept my head down.

“Well, this is certainly an interesting turn of events,” King Roan said, “40 of my sleuth killed and yet the one wolf I employ now lays at my feet. Tell me why I should not kill you, Loufa.”

“My king,” I humbly said, “I have no reason to dissuade you from killing me. I come before you to relay news and nothing more.”

“And what news is that, wolf?”

“Nyx Allistar did not die eight years ago. Gustus lied.”

“And you know this how?”

“She was the one that destroyed Old Towne, my liege. There was no mistaking the werewolf that I fought with from that night. It was Nyx Allistar.”

“I see, were you finally successful in killing her?”

“I do not know. Before the ground opened up and fire rained down from the sky, a hole opened up beneath me and I lay buried several feet underground. She was nearly dead before the hole opened up, but even if she somehow made it, I marked her.”

“That’s the first smart thing that has come out of your mouth, wolf. Do you know what the two of you have cost me?”

I shook my head and replied, “I do not.”

“You have cost me eight years of information on Lexa Devereux. Eight years! I was also paid a visit from the Coalition for violating the laws in regards to unsanctioned moves. On top of that, they knew exactly what you had been up to in Old Towne. Explain this to me, wolf.”

“I have no explanation, my king. We operated under the radar and discreetly. I made sure that there was no leakage. We made sure that the Coalition had no reason to look our way.”

“Apparently, that was not the case, wolf. You have failed me twice now.”

“Yes, Sire.”

“Do you know how that bitch was able to enter the compound without alerting the guards?”

“It is possible that she was able to procure a vial or potion that masked her true scent and made her smell like one of yours. There is only one person in Old Towne who dabbles in were scents. A frikdreina. She would also be the one to tell you where Nyx Allistar resides.”

“And you know how to find this frikdreina?”

“I do.”

“Very well. You have one last chance to impress me, wolf. You will find this frikdreina and use whatever means necessary to find and end Nyx Allistar. And to impress upon you the importance of this, you will be marked. Should you fail me a third time, it will be your last.”

“Y-ye-yes, Sire,” I stammered out, fear gripping me tightly. “I understand.”

“Good,” he replied. “Wor heda, if you will do the honors.”

“As you command, Sire,” the man said and came up behind me. 

He pulled my hair aside and tore my shirt at the shoulder. I tensed and then he bit my shoulder, marking me. I bit my tongue hard enough to taste blood so I wouldn’t scream. I sagged and whimpered in pain.

“Thank you, wor heda. Escort her to the healer and make sure she is ready to travel in 24 hours.”

“Yes, your majesty. It will be so,” the man replied and I was hauled up to my legs and taken to the healer.

Twenty-four hours later I found myself sandwiched between two hulking brutes and on our way to Old Towne and the frikdreina’s residence.

We pulled up to her home four hours later and I found myself snarling in disgust. My companions looked down at me and smiled bitterly. I quickly looked back down and we climbed out. They pushed me in front of them as we walked up the path. As we neared the front steps, the door opened and we came face to face with a human. He took one look at us and slammed the door shut throwing a half dozen locks before we heard pounding foots racing away.

“He’ll tell her we’re here,” I said. “She’ll get away from us before we get our answers.”

Two of them quickly rounded to the back of the house as a third crashed through the front door. We entered quickly and began searching for her. I took a whiff of the air and nearly gagged at the stench of all the animal scents she had stocked up on, making it difficult to sniff her out. I growled and stalked down the hallway and paused by the door that led to the basement. Kicking it open, I waited a moment before climbing down. Near the bottom of the stairs, I ducked as a trap sprung and a log of embedded scrap metal swung directly for my head. I heard a grunt from behind me and I guessed one of the bears hadn’t thought to duck. Then came the sound of it being forcibly removed and we continued down. It was nothing but a large room with plenty of hiding places. I took another whiff and smiled grimly when I caught their scent. I looked back over my shoulder and indicated where they were. He nodded and moved surprisingly quietly as he made his way to them from behind. I stalked forward and as I neared the corner, something rushed me. It was the human and he tackled me to the ground, but I easily overpowered him. There was a scream and the bear emerged with the struggling frikdreina. 

He must have called his buddies, because soon the basement was filled with four bears, myself, the frikdreina, and her human. One of the other bears grabbed the human from me with an evil glare. I straightened my clothes and approached her.

“Well, well, well, isn’t it Emori the frikdreina and her little pet human,” I mockingly said. “You’ve caused one hell of a problem for the Ice Pack.”

She spit at me and I calmly wiped my face and looked down at my hand. Quickly, I slapped her across her face and the bears laughed.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” I said. “We know it was you that gave Nyx Allistar the vial to make her smell like one of them, frikdreina. I suggest you tell us what you know or your pet human won’t look so good.”

To demonstrate, the one holding him snapped his arm in half making him scream in pain. Her eyes widened in fear, but she remained silent.

“Hmm, maybe a broken arm isn’t enough. Break his other arm.”

There was another snapping sound and the human screamed again. She flinched at the noise, but still would not speak.

“Oh, yes, now I get it; broken bones heal. Maybe we should go after a irreplaceable spot. Maybe the eyes,” I said, watching her closely. “Hmm, no. Maybe the removal of an organ.” Her eyes widened and I knew I was getting closer. “Oh, yes, of course! Now, I understand why you have a pet human. He’s the only way you’ll get laid.”

She looked behind me and said weakly, “Please no. Not that, please.”

I looked behind me and the bear was cupping the human’s groin. He gave it a little squeeze and the human whimpered.

I turned back and said, “If you don’t want us to remove his manhood, tell us what we want and we’ll let the little human live.”

Tears streaming down her face, she nodded, “What is it you wish to know?”

I patted her cheek and said, “There’s a good girl. Did you or did you not sell a werebear scent to Nyx Allistar?”

She swallowed and replied, “I did.”

“Did you or did you not know what she was planning?”

“No, but I knew she was headed to your compound.”

“And how did you know about the compound.”

“Overheard some other werebears discussing the place.”

“Were these bears Ice Pack?”

“No. They were black bears east of Forest Pack’s territory.”

“The most important question then. Do you know where we can find Nyx Allistar?”

She quickly looked up at me and then down at her feet as she nodded.

“Where is she?”

“I don’t know where she is exactly, but I know where she lives. A brownstone on the opposite side of town. Her’s is the one farthest away from the street entrance.”

“Is there anything we need to know about the house?”

“It’s, um, it’s warded against strangers. It’s a powerful ward. No one’s been able to break through it.”

I nodded, “What is the name of the street where these brownstones are located?”

“I’m not sure the name of the street, but I can take you there. Just please don’t hurt John anymore.”

“Ah, he has a name,” I said sweetly, then coldly, “Kill him.”

They both screamed and I turned around and watched as the human was ripped limb by limb apart. The bear calmly licked the blood from his hands and gave me a smile. 

I shuddered and said, “Let’s go.”

We walked outside the house and I told them, “Burn the house down.”

As we climbed back into the vehicle, the house was burning merrily away and the frikdreina was a ball of tears. One of them smacked her silent and soon we were moving through town, heading to the home of one Nyx Allistar.

We arrived near dusk and found the brownstone exactly where she said it would be. We all climbed out and confirmed that there was a ward in place. The bears decided to use their powers at once and blasted the ward. If fell in a shattering of fireworks. Moving cautiously, because we knew Nyx’s reputation. Everyone spread out as we searched her home. I prowled around the downstairs, hauling the frikdreina behind me. Sniffing the air, I growled in frustration. The scent was old. She hadn’t been here in weeks. Even so, I continued my search until I came to a warded door. I called for a couple of the bears and together, they broke down this ward too. We made it halfway down the stairs when the ground started shaking violently. I quickly ran downstairs and made a speedy search for anything of note or importance, but there was nothing but a huge set up of monitors, two separate labs, but nothing I could take with me. The ground gave another violent shake and I ran back upstairs. One of the bears still held on to her and I quickly took her and threw her down the stairs, slamming the door shut and jamming it in place. That was when we all heard small explosions in the basement and her screams. The kitchen exploded, then the living room. The upstairs was already engulfed in flames. We ran out of the house amid fire and explosions. When we got back to the car, we turned as the shaking grew more violent, the explosions more concussive. As one, we turned and watch the house implode in on itself and then explode outwards, raining debris over the entire area. We ducked and waited for everything to settle. 

I walked among the debris, shoving things aside and turning others over. When I got to where the basement used to be, I only saw bloodstained concrete and a few papers fluttering in the wind. I picked up as many as the papers as I could and held onto them as the wind suddenly picked up. I stood up and looked around and the landscape showed no similar movement. The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight and I quickly bolted from the rubble. I felt the air churn behind me and loose debris began to whirl around. I glanced back and saw a small tornado forming over the basement. 

We quickly left the area and made our way to a stash house. We were covered in dust, but all of us had made it out of there with minimal damage to our persons. I immediately went to the table and began going through the papers I had collected. Most of them were invoices, cost of materials and delivery slips, emails from clients with the names blacked out for privacy, but my biggest discovery were several photographs. The pictures were of three people. A blonde woman, a dark haired woman, and a dark haired man. I set these aside and threw the rest of the papers away.

One of the bears came over and looked at the photos and asked, “Who are these people?”

“I don’t know,” I replied, “But I know who we can ask. It’s time to pay the Garrison Commander a visit.”

He grinned at me and we began to plan.


	19. Nyx

Sephy and I spent hours catching up. She told me how mother was training her to become the next Second for the Southern Pack and I regaled her with tales of my jobs. Finally, she claimed tiredness and I let her climb into the top bunk. Gaia was already asleep on the bottom. I headed out of the truck and climbed onto the roof. I laid there staring up at the night sky, marveling at seeing Sephy again. She had grown up so much in eight years and it saddened me that I hadn’t been here to watch it.

Soon, melancholy settled over me and I couldn’t fall asleep. I sat back up and rested my arms against my knees and my chin on my arms. The past reared it’s ugly head and I began to replay the memory of the aftermath of that night. I remembered waking up in a cell and shackled to the wall. I couldn’t understand why I was there. Hadn’t I nearly single handily pushed back the Ice Pack, I thought to myself that day. I didn’t know how many of my pack had survived or even if Lexa’s sisters or my brother were still alive. Looking down at myself, I was covered in dried blood and covered in claw marks, slashes, and cuts. The claw marks confused me. They weren’t from bear claws, instead they looked like wolf claws. I spent most of the day getting more confused and angry and hurt because I didn’t know what had happened that caused me to end up in a cell.

Guards came and laid down food near me, but they refused to look at me or talk to me. I yelled at them to tell me what I did. I screamed it, but they turned a deaf ear to me and left me alone again. I remember looking at the food and my stomach turned at the sight of it. I remembered that I couldn’t eat or drink while I was there. I had been there three days before someone finally came to speak with me.

I was escorted to an interrogation room and shackled to a table. At that point, my life was merrily turned upside down. I was questioned mercilessly about why I attacked my own pack. I told them over and over again that I didn’t. That I was fighting Ice Pack because they were killing my men. They showed me photographs and pointed out only wolf marks on the dead. Black fur tufts. Teeth marks that resembled my wolf’s bite. Photo after photo were shown to me of the dead. Then they presented me with the worst ones. My brother and Lexa’s sisters. Their bodies were shredded, throats torn out. I burst into sobs seeing those images. But I remained adamant about the fact that it was the Ice Pack who killed them not me. They showed me written testimony of survivors saying that I had gone and killed everyone. That they saw me kill my own brother before I attacked Lexa’s sisters.

Then they began asking why I did it. Was I jealous of Lexa’s power. Did I kill Lexa’s sisters to wipe out the Devereux family. Did I want to become the next de Pakstoka. Had I been paid to kill them. Why did I really want to marry Lexa. On and on the questioning continued until I screamed obscenities at them and tried to use my powers against them, attack them. I was quickly subdued and tranq’d. I was in that cell for a week before they allowed me to wash and given clean clothes. That was when I knew. I knew that I hadn’t been believed. That there was some dark and twisted reason why I killed all those people.

When I saw Lexa, I wanted to run to her and wrap my arms around her and say sorry over and over again. But, I couldn’t and the cold, dispassionate look on her face told me everything I needed to know. Not even she believed me. When I glanced at what was once my place on the Council sat Gustus Sprague. He looked at me with joy that I was going to get what I deserved. He was enjoying seeing me shackled and looking like shit. I sneered at him, but it only seemed to make it more amusing to him.

Then Lexa spoke and I could hear the sorrow, pain, rage and loss in her voice. I nearly crumpled to the floor, but two guards held me up. There was no gloss over of my crime. There was no talk about making a decision. There was only my punishment. I expected death because of the overwhelming evidence saying that I had committed the crime. Instead, she threw me out of the pack, banished me from the Forest Pack territory, and placed a kill order if I ever dared step foot across the border.

I remembered cries of outrage and tears streaming down faces as people broke down. I was taken away and thrown into a truck. I wasn’t even allowed to say goodbye to mother or Sephy. We didn’t head to the border until Gustus climbed in the back. It was just me and him in the back. That was when he attacked me and I couldn’t fight back. He had broken nearly every bone in my body. I felt organs rupture and blood coursing down my body as he slashed me again and again with a knife. By the time we reached the border, I was barely conscious. And he tossed me like a rag doll across the border, leaving me to die.

I shook my head dispelling the memory and forced myself to think only about the present. I heard someone get out of the truck and watched as Sephy climbed up and joined me.

“Couldn’t sleep,” she asked as she sat next to me.

“No,” I replied. “My memories are haunting me tonight.”

“It’s not because of me, is it,” she asked, worried.

I gave her a small smile and said, “No, sweetheart. It’s being here and knowing how much I have missed this place. It’s seeing her again. Since Gustus visited me in Old Towne, my nightmares have come back.”

“I’m sorry you’re having such a hard time, Nyx,” she said softly as she drew my hand to hold onto. “You’ve been through so much and all I’ve done is grow up happy.”

“Don’t feel guilty for being happy, Seph. I glad that you’ve been happy. It makes my banishment feel less like a burden knowing that you and mother are happy and safe.”

She had been idly tracing the lines of my palm when she ran her fingers over my scar. She stopped and brought it more into the light. I cringed at seeing it. I usually kept those scars covered.

“Nyx,” she asked.

“Yes, I tried to kill myself shortly after the banishment. Gustus had nearly killed me before he had thrown me across the border. I was able to crawl to a hiding place where I found a jagged piece of rock and decided that I shouldn’t be alive. I couldn’t face living and knowing I could never step foot on my home again. That I couldn’t see you or Mother. I couldn’t see my friends. Banishing me was worse then death at that moment and I had the courage to do what she couldn’t.”

“But, you’re alive and you’ve made a life for yourself.”

I nodded, “It was because of the kindness of a stranger who had stumbled across me as I was bleeding to death. She took me in and nursed me back to health and she kept telling me over and over again that everything would be okay. That I would never truly be alone because of Mother Earth. Eventually, I began to believe her and that was when my life began again. It wasn’t until much later that I went back to that place and found nothing there. No sign of there ever being a house there. That was when I realized that the woman who had nursed me back to life and given me new purpose had been Mother Earth, Herself. From that day, I vowed that I would do everything in my power to repay Her for Her help. It’s why I became an Enforcer and have the reputation to pick and choose my jobs. Why I had the money to help those that really needed it, but couldn’t afford it.”

“And that’s why you’re here now. You still care about the pack and the Apex at the camp. You’re trying to end the conflict without causing more death and even begrudgingly helping the humans.”

I smiled at her and hugged her, “Yes. That is it exactly.”

Determined to bring on a better mood, she asked slyly, “So, you and Clarke seemed to be getting cozy if that kiss goodbye means anything.”

I made a face and pushed her, making her nearly fall off before she caught herself.

“I wouldn’t say cozy,” I replied. “I’ve only slept with her the one time. This is the longest time I’ve spent with her and I spent most of it answering questions.”

“And yet it appeared that you only had eyes for one another. You like her.”

“I do, but it almost feels like something more then like. Not love, though. There’s something there that draws me in and I want her.”

“Like want enough to claim her?”

I laughed, “Please don’t give my wolf any ideas, Sephy. Right now, all I know is that I want her and she seems to want me.”

“Oh, she definitely wants you. It was as plain as day. You should go after her.”

I grimaced, “I don’t know. There’s just so much craziness hanging over everybody’s head. We have to wait for the Council to decide how this situation will be handled.”

“I think curing the humans would be a big step in creating a solution.”

“I’d like to think so, but they far outnumber the Apex in the camp. These people do not know how much the world has changed and still think they’re at the top of the food chain. Look at what happened to Jessamine. They thought her only a wolf and thought it would be funny to shock her until they were forced to stop. Yet, she still died at their hands. What would they do to those that are still inside the camp if the truth were found out? It would be a massacre.”

“Then you need to convince the human leaders that this is how the world works now and that it’s the Apex who are in charge and not them.”

“I agree, but Clarke and her council of Apex are the only leaders the camp has. From what I’ve been able to glean, the leaders are currently suffering from the neurotoxin.”

She nodded, “All the better to find a cure.”

“Agreed.”

A loud alarm sounded from inside the truck and we both jumped off the truck as Gaia opened the back door.

“What is that noise,” Gaia yelled over the sound of the alarm.

“What’s going on,” Persephone asked.

I rushed inside and silenced the alarm and switched the computers over to my home in Old Towne. I watched as huge men walked into the house and spread out searching. Then a woman entered dragging Emori behind her. They searched and came to the warded door that led to our office. They got the door opened and started climbing down the stairs. They only made it halfway before the ground started shaking. The woman ran down the rest of the way and looked around quickly, but left again as the ground shook more violently. The last image of the basement showed Emori being thrown into the basement before the explosions started going off. I switched the camera to the one that was set up a few houses down and I zoomed in. The men and woman ran out of the house and made it to their car before the house imploded and exploded. I quickly grabbed screenshots of the men before they piled into the car. The woman had returned to the rubble and was quickly gathering papers before the wind had picked up more. When she turned around enough for me to grab a screen shot, I froze.

Eight years was a long time, but I had never forgotten her face. The woman who had spoken to me right before I had walked away from my post. I was sure of it as sure as I knew that Persephone was my little sister.

“Was that…,” Sephy started to ask.

“My house, yes,” I answered.

“What just happened,” Gaia asked.

I shook my head a little to clear it and answered, “Before we left to come here, Ben and I set up multiple wards around the house and in the basement where our office is. When the ward covering the house was broken, it started a chain of events. First, our physical servers downloaded onto another one and then it was wiped. When the process is done, the ground quakes which sets off explosives that we’d laid out over the entire foundation and throughout the house itself. The explosions and quakes then set off the big one and the house crumbles on itself and explodes outward. Lastly, the tornado is what cleans up the debris and destroys any information.”

“So, your home is gone,” Sephy said.

“Yes. There’s nothing in Old Towne to go back to. Ben and I will have to start over,” I said still staring at the screen shot of the woman.

“Why are you staring at this one,” Gaia asked pointing to her.

“She’s the one who got me to walk away,” I said bitterly.

“Who is she?”

“I don’t know, but when I find her, I’ll kill her for doing this to me.”

“Who were they,” Sephy asked.

“Ice Pack. My last job with the Coalition was to gather information on why they were in Old Towne and then destroy their compound.”

“How did they find out it was you?”

“The frikdreina, Emori. They must have realized that I used northern werebear scent to get in. She led them to me. Boom goes my home.”

“Do they know that you’re here,” Gaia asked, concerned.

“No. I told no one that we were coming here,” I replied dispassionately.

“That was smart,” Sephy said.

I nodded, “I need to tell Ben. His set up doesn’t have the alarms.”

“We’ll give you some privacy.”

“Thank you,” I replied and they left. I sighed and turned the radio to Ben’s frequency. “Ben, you there?”

There was static and then Ben’s voice said, “I’m here, Boss. You don’t sound so good.”

“I’m not. The house is gone. Ice Pack figured out it was me that destroyed their compound.”

“Fuck. Did everything go like we planned?”

“Yeah. I watched the whole thing.”

“How do you know it was Ice Pack?”

I sent him the photos and replied, “No one else could have figured it out and there is no mistaking these guys for another bear pack.”

There was a pause and then he asked, “Who’s the woman? She doesn’t look like your typical northern female were.”

“I don’t know, but she’s the one that got me banished. I remember her.”

“You’re kidding, right? Please tell me you’re kidding.”

“I’m not and if she is with Ice Pack…”

“Ice Pack is trying to get to Forest Pack.”

“Yes.”

“That’s something to add to my list of Ice Pack information.”

I creased my brow in confusion and asked, “What do you mean, Ben?”

“I finally got around to looking on their server. It’s not good, boss. They’ve been monitoring the Forest Pack, especially de Pakstoka for the last eight years. Who she speaks with, where she frequents, who she takes to bed, a lot of personal information that they should not have. Information that wouldn’t be known outside of Clifton.”

“They have a spy.”

“It looks like it. There’s even rosters of how many warriors, scouts, etc. each border pack has. Even weak spots of where someone could get in.”

“Ben, lock the server down immediately. Put the strongest encryption you have on it. Speak to no one about this and I mean absolutely no one. Do you understand me?”

“Perfectly. I’ll be done in a few keystrokes.”

“Good. We’re heading back to Clifton. I’ll leave the drones running, the long distance range won’t be a problem. And I’ll lock down the truck.”

“Alright. Should I tell anyone that you’re on your way back?”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“Got it. Be careful, Nyx.”

“I will. See you soon.”

“See you soon.”

I cut the transmission and stepped out of the truck. I found Gaia and Sephy around her buggy.

They looked at me expectantly and waited for me to get closer.

“Is everything okay,” Gaia asked seeing my face.

“No, we need to head to Clifton immediately,” I told her.

“Wait, why,” Sephy asked.

“There’s more then one reason why they blew up my house.”

“What is it?”

I looked them over carefully and discreetly examined their minds. I read nothing but concern and worry. No sign of fear. I relaxed slightly.

“The compound was gathering information on the Forest Pack.”

“That’s nothing new,” Gaia said, confused.

“You’re right, it’s not. It’s the type of information they have. They’ve been monitoring de Pakstoka closely. A little too closely. Personal information. Who she speaks with, sleeps with. Where she goes and for how long. Her favorite food. Everything.”

“Someone’s leaking information,” Gaia said as it dawned on her.

“And we can’t tell anyone. Not until we’re there ourselves,” I said.

“When do we leave,” Sephy asked determinedly.

I looked up at the sky and saw the night sky already fading.

“At dawn we’ll leave. Gaia, you and Sephy will take the buggy. I’m taking the bike. The truck will be fine here.”

They both nodded and helped load the weapons onto the bike and the buggy. I took a small camera and climbed a nearby tree. I placed the camera giving me the perfect view of the truck and the immediate area. I couldn’t trust anyone now.

We ate a quick meal at dawn and then headed out to Clifton. I stayed long enough to set up emergency triggers, took a vidscreen, and placed every ward we had on the truck, locking it up tight. I took one last look in the direction of the camp and then I was racing through the forest.

What usually took five hours, we made it in three. We skidded to a halt in front of the mansion and grabbing a few guns, rushed straight to Ben’s lab. The mansion guards followed us inside the house, but Gaia stopped them at the door. She gave me a look and I nodded, closing the door behind me.

Startled, Ben said, “Wow, that was fast.”

I smiled ruefully and replied, “Time is of the essence, Ben. If Ice Pack knows that we cloned their servers and then wiped them clean, the Bear King may very well decide not to wait. If that happens, war.”

He nodded, “What do you need?”

“Print outs of the most important information from their servers. Her personal information, the rosters of the border packs. Everything else you think pertinent. You know what I need. Then print out those screen shots of the people who blew up our home.”

He had already begun to print out the information as I was talking and I smiled that he knew me so well.

“Here you go, boss,” he said as he handed them to me.

I kissed him on top of his head, making him blush as I took the papers from him. I dug around for a folder and stuffed them inside.

“Ben, do we have one of our null devices?”

“Yeah, sure,” he replied as he dug around in one of the cargo boxes. “You think it’s necessary?”

“Damn right I do.”

“What’s a null device,” Sephy asked as she looked closer at it.

“It disables any and all types of listening devices and cameras,” Ben explained. “It also restricts telepathy, so there’s absolutely no way for anyone to communicate from inside the area to outside it.”

“It’s a way to make sure a private conversation stays private,” I said taking in and putting it in my pocket. “Sephy, I need you to stay here and guard Ben. If anyone tries to force their way in, shoot them.”

She nodded and placed herself in front of Ben who looked at me fearfully.

“I know this is something you are not used to, but you are very important and the information you have cannot be compromised.”

He nodded and swallowed thickly.

I opened the door and Gaia asked, “Got it?”

“Yep, I need Indra, Gustus, and Lexa to meet me in her office,” I answered.

She nodded at me as she quirked an eyebrow. I ignored the fact that I had just said her name aloud and walked quickly to her office. I turned on the null device as soon as I entered and began looking for bugs that I knew would be in here. By the time the three of them had arrived, I’d already made a small pile of the ones I had found and I was climbing a bookcase to get to the top three shelves. 

“What are you doing,” Lexa yelled at me.

I said nothing, but pointed to the coffee table. I found five more bugs and climbed back down and tossed them into the pile.

“Are those bugs,” Lexa asked.

“Yeah, I found over twenty bugs planted throughout the office.”

“How? Gustus checks the office everyday.”

I looked at Gustus and asked, “Well?”

He replied, “And everyday there are no bugs, but somehow miraculously Nyx has found over twenty of them in one visit. How do we know that you didn’t plant them yourself? You are a spy after all.”

I bent over and rifled through them until I came to one with a logo and handed it to Lexa, “Because all of mine are custom built. We don’t use store bought listening devices or cameras. It defeats the purpose of having a techno mage partner.”

I then pulled out several of my own bugs and handed them to Lexa as well. She looked them over carefully and then handed all of them back to me.

She looked at Gustus and said, “She speaks the truth, Gustus. These are not hers.”

“She’s lying,” he said loudly, “She is tricking you, Pakstoka. You can’t believe a word this natrona says. Remember what she did. She killed nearly her entire command so that she could take over the pack!”

I quietly seethed as I watched him closely. His eyes quickly looked around the room and I noticed that they would stop at certain spots in the room. Several of them I hadn’t even checked. I pulled the objects that were there to us and quickly removed six more bugs.

“Thanks, Gustus. I knew I hadn’t found them all yet,” I said as I placed them on the pile.

“Lies,” he roared at me. He charged me, but I quickly wrapped him up in metal and he landed heavily on the ground.

“What is the meaning of this,” Lexa demanded.

“You have a spy in your pack, probably more,” I said as I handed her the folder.

She opened it immediately and began going through the documents, face slowly contorting in anger. She handed it over to Indra, who started looking through it herself.

“Explain,” she said, her voice deadly.

“My last job with the Coalition was to infiltrate and gather information on an unauthorized Ice Pack compound in Old Towne. Before I blew it up, Ben copied their servers and then wiped them clean of any trace. This is just some of the information that was on the servers.”

“More lies,” Gustus spat.

“The truth doesn’t lie, Gustus. There is no way I would know Lexa’s daily routine now. Or who she’s been speaking with, who she’s slept with or even know if she was sleeping with anyone. I have no clue as to how many pack members are patrolling the border, nor do I know of any weak spots along the border. I wasn’t lying about honoring the banishment. I have not stepped one foot past the border in eight years. The only one who would be privy to this kind of information is you, Gustus,” I accused.

“Lies!”

“Why would I lie about any of this!”

“You want to discredit me. You want your position back. Of course you would. You planned this when I told you she would end your banishment, remove the kill order and let you back into the pack,” he sneered at me.

I walked over and kneeled beside him, “I don’t care about becoming Second again! Are you implying that I knew that she would eventually lift all of these things? And that you are accusing me of gathering this information secretly for the last eight years. It took me over a year to heal after you left me for dead just across the border. It took me another two to even have the resources to spy on my targets successfully. You tried to kill me even after Lexa ordered you to not to harm me. So, tell me; why would I lie when I thought there was nothing to gain?”

“I told you, Lexa, that he did not obey your orders,” Indra said.

Lexa nodded, “You did. I cannot believe that this has been happening under my nose for eight years.”

“It’s not your fault,” I said standing up and walking over to her. “You were hurt, angry, and grieving. Nobody would have been capable of seeing this if they were in your shoes. Nobody. But I do have to ask, how did a fourth tiered family gain the duty of Second?”

“His family was the only one who volunteered,” Indra said. “None of the first, second, or third tiered families wanted to take on the responsibility. The Allistars had set too high of a standard.”

I nodded, “Then the question arises, what else was he promised for betraying his pack?”

The communicator beeped on my belt, drawing everyone’s gaze.

Pulling it out, I asked, “Clarke, is everything okay?”

“No, it’s not. The antidote that you said would slow down the spread actually does the opposite. It’s accelerates it and now people are dead.”

“How many?”

“Twenty. We stopped the injections after the first three died.”

“Good.”

“Nyx, the humans are calling for retaliation. They want to kill the prisoners. I’ve moved all of the prisoners and have placed them in a more secure location. Octavia’s pack is guarding them.”

I looked around and Lexa and Indra’s face paled at the news, “That’s good. Really good. The pack will know what to do if they’re attacked.”

“How?! They’re not trained to fight.”

“It doesn’t matter. Every wolf knows how to fight, their wolves will too. You’ve got to trust me on this, please. I’m going to do everything I can to fix this, I swear to Mother Earth.”

“I want to trust you, Nyx, but…”

“I understand,” I said heavily. “Give me 72 hours, that’s all I’m asking for.”

“72 hours?”

“Yes.”

“And what happens after your 72 hours are up?”

I looked at Lexa and she nodded her head.

“Then you have permission to execute the prisoners if I can’t get you anything by then. There will be no retaliation from de Pakstoka or the Forest Pack.”

“Alright. You have your 72 hours.”

I looked down at Gustus and snarled, “Your betrayal holds no bounds, Gustus.”

I stormed over to the door and opened it and seeing Gaia, I said, “Bring me the chemist by any means necessary without killing her or damaging her enough that she cannot speak.”

She nodded and took off with two guards following her.

I closed the door and slumped into an armchair. No one said a word for a moment.

Indra asked as she placed the photographs on the table, “Nyx, who are these people?”

Not even glancing, I replied, “Ice Pack members that blew up my house.”

“And this woman? She looks familiar, but I cannot recall her name.”

“That is the woman who convinced me to leave my post eight years ago. She told me that Indra needed to speak with me and when I rounded the corner and out of sight, I remembered that Indra wasn’t even at the northern border, but still in the south. I ran back and then…”

I watched as Lexa took the photo of the woman and as she studied it, she appeared to think of something. She walked over to her desk and went through her drawers. She found what she was looking for and pulled out a file.

“These are the application requests to join the pack from eight years ago,” she said as she placed the folder down on the table and opened it up. Turning the papers quickly, she stopped when she came across a photo of the same woman.

I leaned forward and looked it over. Her name was Echo, no last name. She said that she crossed the border from the west, which had been confirmed, claiming that she was born in black bear territory. Then came the big news, her only power was telepathy and it was off the charts powerful.

Lexa sat down on the couch and laid her head in her hands and said, “You were manipulated. You really thought that you were fighting off Ice Pack.” She moved her head to look at me and said, “I’m sorry that I didn’t believe you. Can you ever forgive me?”

Seeing the pain on her face, I realized that I had forgiven her a long time ago. I got up and kneeled in front of her.

I took one of her hands and said, “I forgave you a long time ago, Lex. If the roles had been reversed with all the evidence contradicting the story, I would have probably done the same thing. I may have executed instead of banishment, but that’s neither here nor there. We have much more pressing issues in front of us.”

She smiled at me and pulled me into a hug that I willingly returned. The door opened up, breaking us apart, and the guards entered with the chemist between them. They shoved her into the room and left. I got up and grabbing her by the throat, slammed her into the wall.

With barely controlled fury, I asked, “What did you do, chemist?”

“I,I,I don’t know what you mean,” she stammered.

I slammed her against the wall and said, “Twenty more humans lie dead because of the recipe you gave me. Twenty! And now you’ve placed your fellow pack members in extreme danger! Did you do this on your own?”

Her eyes flickered around, and I noticed them settle briefly on Gustus’s prone body.

“How much did he pay you to change the recipe? How much,” I yelled at her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s the same exact recipe that I use for the antidote. There were no changes,” she protested.

I grabbed the communicator and said, “Clarke, do you hear me?”

“Yeah. What do you want?”

“I need Jasper to read me back the recipe.”

“Okay. Hold on.”

I looked around and spotted Gaia and I said to her, “Get me a syringe and a mixing set quickly.”

Once again, she ran off and returned with the items before I heard Jasper’s voice.

“You want me to read you the recipe,” he asked. 

“Yes, slowly. I’m going to recreate it.”

“Why, your chemist should already have the recipe and should have vials of the stuff.”

“I now believe that she purposely made something to accelerate the spread. Just please read it back to me.”

“Alright.”

Holding my hand over the bowl, I created each ingredient he told me in the amounts that were given. When the last of the ingredients, Gaia took the bowl and started mixing it up. I cooked it down, releasing the juices which Gaia then drained into a glass. We finished it and Gaia inserted the liquid into the syringe and handed it to me.

I held it up to the chemist’s face and said, “What would happen, I wonder, if I injected this in you, chemist? Hmm?”

“Nothing. It’s the antidote,” she said weakly.

“Tsk, I don’t think so, but let’s see which one of us right, shall we?”

Gaia grabbed and turned her to face the wall, holding her there. I took her head and shoving the hair aside, exposing the base of the skull.

“You see, Lexa, Jasper showed me that the quickest way to reach our powers is through the base of the skull here,” I said as I slowly lowered the needle to the spot. 

She bucked a little but Gaia and I held her firm.

“I’m going to give you one last chance. Answer my questions and I won’t injected you with whatever is in this syringe,” I said as sweetly as I could.

“I know nothing. I gave you the antidote, I swear,” she pleaded.

“I’m not buying it,” I said as I inserted the needle into her neck. She screamed, and I said, “Don’t move or I might accidentally push down.”

“Okay, okay. Just please don’t kill me. I’ll tell you what you want to know,” she said through tears.

“Good, but just in case you think about lying, the needle stays where it is and remember don’t move.”

“Okay,” she whispered. “What do you want to know?”

“Tell me what I have in my hand?”

“It’s the antidote, but I tweaked it. Instead of reversing the effects, it accelerates after showing an initial recession of the spread.”

“Did you do this on your own?”

“No.”

“Who helped you?”

“Gustus,” she said, and he growled at her, making her whimper in fear.

“Why?”

“Because they’re only humans, their lives don’t matter.”

“Did he tell you that there are over 100 humans in that camp and besides 19 Forest Pack members, there is another pack of 13, and 9 mages there.”

“No, but I knew about the prisoners.”

“Do you want all of their deaths on your hands because the humans found out about the Apex? There are 13 untrained werewolves protecting your pack members.”

“I didn’t know,” she cried. “I didn’t know, I swear!”

“What did he offer you?”

“A quarter of a million dollars to wipe the sick ones out,” she whispered.

Gaia whistled in appreciation and I wondered exactly how he had that much money to throw around.

“Have you even started looking for a cure?”

“I have, but when Gustus approached me, I abandoned it.”

“How far were you from completing it?”

“It was nearly complete.”

“What was missing?”

“The toxin itself and petals from dragon wings.”

“Did you record the ratio and quantities in your lab notes?”

“Yes.”

“And the boiling process?”

“Yes, I wrote everything down. It’s how I process the information.”

“Good girl,” I said as I looked back at Lexa. She nodded, and Gustus’s eyes widened in fear.

“You’re going to let me go now, right,” she asked hopefully.

“Tsk, you should know better by now, chemist,” I said sadly. “You went against de Pakstoka’s orders and killed twenty humans. You didn’t really think you’d get to live, did you?”

“No! No, wait,” she begged. “I’m the only Earth mage strong enough to be the pack’s chemist. You can’t do this to me! I’m important.”

I leaned in close and said, “You’re not the only one capable of being a chemist.”

She whimpered as I injected her with the serum. Gaia and I let go of her and she crumpled onto the floor. We stepped back, and everyone watched dispassionately as her body contorted and contracted, eyes bulged, and her mouth opened in a silent scream. I turned around when her body had stopped moving and Gaia grabbed the guards to haul the body away.

“I’m sorry you had to witness that, Lexa,” I said as I took a seat once more. “It’s part of the darker side of my career choice.”

“Where did I go wrong, Nyx,” she said as she sat heavily on the couch closest to me.

“I hate to seem callous, but it’s because you trusted Gustus like you had me and my family. It seems like you didn’t look into his lineage or speak with their neighbors or anything to get a good feel for him and his family. Instead, when he offered, you immediately said yes because no one else would.”

“You’re right. I didn’t do any of that even after your banishment, I didn’t look any further then what was in front of me. This is all my fault.”

“I’m not sure that it really is. From the evidence it would appear that you were manipulated and have been continued to be manipulated for the last eight years. If anyone is to truly take the blame, it would be the Bear King. This woman, Echo, is obviously in the employ of him. She infiltrated the pack and then got rid of me, placing Gustus in my stead. Gustus then continued to feed the Ice Pack information about you and the pack. He then seemed to act on his own agenda and tried to kill the humans in Manassas, which would have brought the Coalition here.”

“You didn’t have to kill her,” Gustus said from the ground.

I had momentarily forgotten him, so I lifted him off the ground and at him in the other chair.

“Yes, I did,” I replied. “She betrayed de Pakstoka and the pack. She took money from you in payment in an attempt to kill all the remaining adults in Manassas. Once someone betrays you, you cannot ever fully trust them again. I had de Pakstoka’s permission and I carried out the act, so she didn’t have to order it herself. And because it was me that did it during my duties of an Enforcer, the Coalition won’t be tempted to bat an eye in her direction.”

“Hmph, how noble of you,” he sneered at me.

“Nobility has nothing to do about it, Gustus. This is about doing what’s right and protecting my client. If you ever really cared about the pack or the true duties of being a Second, you would understand this. Instead, it seems to me that you only care about Power. And to bring up an earlier question, what else did they promise you in return for helping to get rid of me?”

“You’re fishing, Nyx,” he said smugly. “You have no proof that it was me who provided the Bear King this information. My failed attempt to kill you was because I always hated you and your self-righteous act. You made me sick. Your family made me sick. How can a family in your position not want to become de Pakstoka? How can a family remain devote to only serving when they can rule? It made me physically ill seeing your families together. Then to see the two of you together, so devoted to one another. So in love with one another. You were too perfect. It needed to be destroyed and I wanted to be the one to destroy it.”

I creased my brow in thought and said, “Let me see if I get this right, Gustus. It’s true that there is no physical evidence tying you to the information on the Ice Pack servers, but then again, we haven’t gone completely through the information. You and your family were jealous of the fact that the position of Second was hereditary and that it was my family that controlled it. Your family was jealous of how close the Allistars and Devereuxs were. You were jealous that Lexa and I fell in love and were planning on getting married, which would have only strengthened the leadership. And the most compelling evidence that you have just presented us, is that you couldn’t just grasp the concept that my family didn’t want to become de Pakstoka. Which implies that you are searching for a way to remove the last Devereux from power. Did I get that right?”

“Yes, wait, no,” he spluttered, “that’s not what I’m saying at all.”

I looked over at Indra and asked, “Did I mishear him then, Indra?”

“No, Nyx. I heard that as well,” she replied. “Pakstoka?”

“It appears that we have a traitor in our midst,” she said, standing up. “And it appears to be that Gustus Sprague is the traitor.”

“Agreed,” replied Indra.

Indra got up and called in two guards. They bowed and waited for instructions.

Looking coldly at Gustus, Lexa said, “Guards, this man is accused of treason of the highest order. He and his family are remanded into your custody until their fates are decided. Make sure that each family member is in a separate cell where they will be gagged and shackled to the walls.”

“Yes, Pakstoka,” one of them said and approached Gustus.

They looked around confusedly because he was still wrapped up in metal and couldn’t move. I quickly got to my feet and placing a hand on the metal, withdrew the power back into myself, leaving shackles on his wrists and ankles. When I moved out of the way, they unceremoniously heaved him up and dragged him away.

I stretched my arms overhead and sighed deeply, “Well, that was fun, but I need to get to the chemist’s lab if I’m going to make the cure. The sooner that’s done, the sooner we can convince the adults about the new reality.”

“Could you hold off on that, please,” Lexa asked.

I looked at her in question, “May I ask why?”

“I need to convene an emergency Council session and I want you there,” she replied.

“And why do you want me there,” I asked suspiciously.

“First off, they need to be informed of everything that has happened. Secondly, I’m announcing the permanent lifting of your banishment and kill order. Thirdly. Thirdly, I want to temporarily bring you back into the Pack and act as my Second until a new one is found.”

“Why would you think I’d accept the position, Lexa?”

“Because you said it yourself, it’s what’s right for the pack. Acting as my Second gives you back all the rights and privileges you once had. You will be directly speaking to the camp as my liaison, not a hired Enforcer. The Manassas pack and mages already listen and respect you. It makes sense to send you there in my stead until we can begin negotiations for a treaty. It makes doubly sense to do it as my Second.”

I growled low in my throat and said, “It’s not fair that you know how to still push my damn buttons, Lexa. Poke at my damn morals and ethics like that and I’ll do anything you want. That was one of the most irritating things about you.”

She laughed and said, “Thank you, Nyx. You won’t regret it.”

“I’m already regretting it,” I said under my breath and then more loudly said, “Then let’s convene the Council. I have work to do.”


	20. Nyx

I sent Gaia to let Persephone and Ben know that it was safe to leave his lab, and that I would be in the Council meeting. She grinned at me and walked away. I followed Indra and Lexa to the council room and walked over to a set of French doors and looked out at the landscape. I watched in the reflection as Lexa approached me. 

“You know,” Lexa said softly, “this was always the same set of doors you went to when you waited for the Council meetings to start.”

I made a noise that was similar to a scoff and said, “I didn’t realize that I was that predictable.”

She chuckled and leaned against the doorframe, “You are when it comes to where you’ll usually stand or sit or most likely head out to when you need to think. Otherwise, you’re not that predictable.”

I smiled, “So, there is still some mystery left in me. That makes me happy.”

“Thank you for all of this, Nyx,” she said as she looked up at me through her lashes. “At any point in time, you could have told me no and walked away from this whole situation, but you didn’t.”

“You know me, Lex. If there’s something I can do to help, I throw myself in head deep regardless of the consequences. I’ve met the Manassas Apex and they’re good kids. They deserve our help, my help. I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that I’m actively trying to save humans, but these humans were here long before our families resettled the region.”

“Even I can’t get over the fact that we’re trying to save them either. They became a subspecies less then 25 years after the apocalypse and now we have human genetics that comes from before then. I still don’t understand how out of probably 200+ humans, 22 are Apex.”

“More then likely the radiation slowly seeped in and as a whole they absorbed it, but it wasn’t until recently, say the last 25 years, that Apex were born.”

“Now that you say it that way, doesn’t it seem to parallel to what happened on the surface?”

“Huh. You could be right. This could just be a repeat of genetic history. It would make it easier to explain to them so that they understand what happened. I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Good,” she said quietly. “I’ve missed this, Nyx. These quiet introspective conversations when we gained clarity over a situation. We worked so well together.”

“I’ve missed it, too, Lexa. In truth, I’ve missed all of this, but we can’t go back to the way it was before. Not after everything.”

She looked at me sadly and said, “My head knows that, but my heart wants to forget it ever happened. I hadn’t realized how much I missed ‘us’ until I saw you in the office.”

Indra walked up to us then and said, “Everyone’s here.”

Lexa looked over at her and nodded. We walked over and the two of them took their places while I stayed standing behind Lexa.

“Where’s Gustus,” one of the Council members asked immediately.

“He has been removed from the position of Second,” Lexa answered dispassionately.

“May I inquire as to why?”

“You may. It is one of the reasons why I have called for you this emergency meeting.”

“Then why is Nyx Allistar standing in this room,” demanded another Council member. “She has no authority here, even as an Enforcer.”

“She is here at my behest, Councilor,” she said evenly. “Events have occurred that need our immediate attention. Now, as to the reason why Gustus Sprague is no longer Second. Compelling evidence has been brought to my attention that he has been selling sensitive information to the Ice Pack over the last eight years. If asked, the Coalition will confirm this information. On top of working for the Bear King, it has been revealed that he paid our chemist to eradicate the sick humans in Manassas. Which places our pack members, the newly formed pack of 13, and the 9 mages residing there in grave danger.”

One of the Council members slammed his fist on the table and stood up, “Impossible. Gustus Sprague has been a loyal Second since he took over 8 years ago. If anyone sold information to the Ice Pack, it would be the very one that massacred her own people and claimed the Ice Pack did it!”

Lexa stood up angrily and addressed the man, “That is enough! It has also come to light that 8 years ago a woman applied for membership whose only power was telepathy that tested off the charts. And if I remember correctly she came through your assigned border. What say you?”

He flustered for a moment and then replied, “There would be no way for me to know everyone’s true intention as they crossed the border, Pakstoka.”

“True, I will grant you that, but do we get so many border crossings that you would not recall a lone female werewolf seeking membership? The crossing would have happened a little over eight years ago.”

“Eight years is a long time to recall, Pakstoka. My memory is not as it once was.”

“Perhaps,” she replied thoughtfully, “But it is suspicious, Councilor. I recalled her immediately when a photo of her was shown to me. Would that perhaps help?”

“It may.”

She handed me the photo and I walked over to hand it to him. He refused to take it out of my hand, making me sigh in frustration, so I just laid it between him and another Council member and walked back.

“Councilor, does the photograph help you?”

I watched as he barely glanced at it and he replied, “No, Pakstoka. I do not recall this woman.”

“Then how do I know that she came from your border and her application bore your signature?”

Indra scoffed and said, “You barely looked at it, Councilor. Why don’t you look more closely? Even I thought she looked familiar upon seeing this photo and I am older then you are.”

He dutifully picked up the photo and looked at it more closely. When he placed it back down, he reiterated, “No, Pakstoka. I still do not recall her. She may have come through my border and I may have signed the application request, but I do not recall this woman.”

Nyx, Lexa asked.

I smelled a touch of fear from him, but I don’t know if it was because of me or the line of questioning. I’m sorry, I replied.

“Very well, Councilor. I am still suspicious of this lax of memory, but I will table that inquiry for another time.”

“Thank you, Pakstoka.”

I stared hard at him as something niggled at my thoughts and then, Lexa, wasn’t he the one that tried to convince you to sell that piece of land near his pack to the Ice Pack? The one that proved to be very valuable?

I felt a wave of surprise and then she said, You’re right, he did. There was a large deposit of gold found there when we surveyed it shortly after I refused to sell.

“Councilor, was it not you that proposed selling a piece of Forest Pack land near the border that met with Ice Pack land?”

“I beg your pardon, Pakstoka?”

“You know, that piece of land that we thought was barren.”

He thought and his eyes widened at the memory, “Yes, Pakstoka, I do recall the piece of land you are speaking of. I was approached by an emissary of the Bear King’s and he laid out a perfectly reasonable price for the area.”

“Why did the emissary not come with you to propose the deal himself to me?”

“I felt it unwise to allow a member of the Ice Pack further inland, Pakstoka.”

“It is strange that two members of Ice Pack crossed specifically at your border, Councilor. It would have made more sense for the emissary to come across the northern border, wouldn’t it? It is the more direct approach.”

“That is strange indeed, Pakstoka,” he replied nonchalantly, making me narrow my eyes at him.

“Could you tell me, Councilor, what was found on that bit of land after I refused the sale?”

“I believe it was a deposit of gold, Pakstoka.”

“That is correct. Now, why would Ice Pack want an apparently barren piece of land that soon after, we discovered gold on that land? It would seem that Ice Pack knew about the gold deposit and that we were ignorant of the fact.”

“It seems that they did indeed know what was on that land, Pakstoka.”

“So, we had an Ice Pack spy enter across your border that convinced and conspired with Gustus Sprague to spy on me. An emissary from the Bear King came to your border and not the northern border. He approached you, Councilor, with a sale of land proposal. He did not accompany you here to lay out the proposal himself. The land was later found out to have a large deposit of gold. Can you see that this lays a lot of suspicion on you, Councilor?”

He looked around at the room nervously and saw that members were slowly backing away from him, distancing themselves. I saw a look in his eyes that spoke volumes of desperation. I mentally tagged him and when he suddenly roared and jumped over the table to attack Lexa, I slammed him into the ground knocking him unconscious. Guards quickly snatched him up as everyone looked around in stunned disbelief.

“I guess that answers your questions, Pakstoka,” Indra said with a hint of humor.

“It does appear to be so,” she replied. “So, two pack members have been ousted as conspiring against de Pakstoka and the Forest Pack, committing treason.”

“Pakstoka,” a Council member spoke as she stood, “I am afraid to say that I can no longer hold my position dutifully. I resign my seat.”

“Very well, Councilor. I would suggest that you remove yourself and your family to your border pack and venture very little from there.”

“Thank you, Pakstoka,” she said bowing out.

“I think that it would be wise for me to also resign,” another Councilor said.

She waved him off and said, “Anyone else wish to resign? No, good. Then let’s get back to the business at hand. Now, besides leaking information to the Bear King, Gustus Sprague also paid the chemist off to change the antidote to accelerate the neurotoxin in the adults and as a result there have been 20 more deaths. Because of this, the current leader of the camp has removed our pack members to a more secure location that is being guarded by their untrained pack. We have been given 72 hours to come up with a cure before they kill our people.”

“That is not something any of us wish to happen, Pakstoka,” a Councilor spoke.

“Indeed,” another voiced.

“Is the chemist now back to working on the cure,” a third one asked.

“No, she is not. For her betrayal and taking a bribe from Gustus, she was found guilty of treason and swiftly executed. We no longer have an Earth mage strong enough to complete the experiment,” Lexa replied.

“Our men will die then,” someone moaned.

“Not necessarily,” Lexa said soothingly. “I said that we do not currently have a Earth mage strong enough, but we do have Nyx. Her Earth mage power is nearly as strong as our chemist’s. She is willing to continue the experiment.”

They looked at me gratefully and I politely inclined my head.

“Pakstoka,” someone asked, “If Gustus and this spy have been conspiring together for the last eight years, is it possible that they may have had something to do with removing the Allistars from Second?”

“Yes. The fact that she is an extremely powerful telepath, she could have very easily manipulated Nyx’s mind into believing she was really seeing Ice Pack slaughtering her men. Which she then acted accordingly, not knowing that she was really killing them herself. Because of this new information, her banishment and kill order have been rescinded permanently. She is no longer an enemy of Forest Pack. I have also temporarily brought her back into the pack for the duration of this trying time.”

“If you’ve allowed her back into the pack, I suggest that she takes her position as Second back,” a Councilor said.

“I second the motion,” another cried out and everyone else agreed loudly.

“Very well then,” Lexa said. “Nyx, will you become my Second for the duration of this situation and until another family may be found?”

“It would be my honor to serve de Pakstoka as I once did,” I said humbly.

“Then please, take your rightful place by my side.”

I sat down next to her and the room echoed with their cheers, making me blush.

“Okay, that’s enough,” Lexa said and the room quieted. “The plan is to have Nyx finish the cure and then deliver it to the camp within the next 72 hours. It is our hope that they will use the cure on their adult leaders. Once they are well, Nyx will act as my liaison and brief these leaders as to what happened in the 83 years they’ve lived below ground as well as what has happened to their own children. We believe that once they have had a chance to absorb this information, that they will be willing to open up negotiations for a peace summit.”

“What happens after they agree to a peace summit,” a Councilor asked.

“That is something we must discuss once Nyx is in the camp. She will stay there as long as she needs to be in order to convince the adults to agree to the summit.”

“It’s my hope that they will trade me for our pack as insurance that we will not attack nor harm the camp or the humans. As Second, I carry more weight in value then the 19 pack members,” I said.

“True enough,” said a Councilor. “It appears that the two of you have made an executable plan that should be successful. It makes my heart leap in joy to see you two working together again as it always should have been.”

“Thank you, Councilor,” I replied. “Your confidence in us makes me more determined to end this situation in a way that will benefit us all.”

She laughed, “You’ve always had a way with words, Nyx. I’m glad you’re back even if it is only temporary.”

I smiled and inclined my head, “Pakstoka, if there is nothing else that requires my attention, I would think it best for me to head to the chemist’s lab and begin working on the cure.”

She looked at me and smiled, “No, we can continue this without you. You have my permission to leave.”

“Thank you,” I said and stood up to bow. “I’ll keep you informed of my progress.”

She nodded and I left the Council Room. I let Ben and Persephone know what was going on and she hugged me tightly at my change of status. Ben congratulated me and said that there were no new developments at the camp. I hugged both of them and then finally made my way to the lab.

When I entered I was greeted by the most horrendous smell I never would have thought possible. In cages lay three humans laying in their own filth as they moaned in pain. I quickly stepped out of the lab and immediately threw up outside. Holding my breath, I quickly ducked back inside and turned on the fans that would draw the smell outside. I then grabbed several guard members and had them go in and clean the humans and cages out as I supervised. I made sure that the humans were handled gently and soon everything was clean and the humans were placed on hospital beds, lightly tethered to the rails. 

I walked over to them and said, “I’m sorry for the way the chemist treated you. She should not have done that. It is my hope that your suffering will soon be over.”

The moaned in fear and I quickly reassured them that I meant cured not killed. They relaxed slightly and I gave each of them an IV to replace the fluids they’d lost and injected a painkiller into their system so that it wouldn’t hurt as much.

Turning away from them, I searched the lab for the chemist’s notes and after digging through what seemed like mounds of useless information, found what I was looking for. She had been truthful in stating that it was nearly completed. I inputted the recipe into the computer and brought up a human brain. I simulated inserting the neurotoxin and sped up the spread until it appeared that the brain had been suffering for several months. Then I simulated the possible cure being inserted and watched as it spread and removed the neurotoxin from the human’s brain. I sped it up until it had receded enough that the humans would be showing signs of recovery, taking note of how long it took. Then sped it up again until the human brain would be able to begin showing strong thought processes and make rational choices without hinderance, once again taking note. Then speeding it up one last time, I noted when the neurotoxin had been completely eradicated from the human brain and body and received an all cured sign. 

What it showed me was that humans would begin to show improvement in a little over 24 hours. It would then take approximately one to two weeks to regain cognitive thought and greater mobility. In a month’s time, the strongest humans would be cured and another month and a half the rest would be cured. I was pleased with the result and relieved that the chemist had really been telling us the truth. 

With that simulation showing success, I quickly got to work and made a small batch of the cure and injected it into one of the humans. I set a brain scanner on him to monitor the progress and placed a camera to film what was happening to his body. I checked the scan quickly and saw that the painkiller did not seem to affect the serum. I spent the rest of the day gathering up the ingredients and preparing them, eventually leaving them to a slow steep that would take about 18 hours to be ready. I set a timer that I would take with me and checked on the humans. I exchanged IVs and checked the human that had received the serum. I marked that there was already an improvement on the skin and saw that the brain was already showing signs of improvement. I took note of it in my own log and remarked that it would be possible that he would be well on his way to a full recovery before my 72 hours were up. 

Speaking with Ben, I had him hack into the various feeds in the lab and set up monitoring alarms if there were any drastic changes and when the IVs would need to be replaced. Gaia had sent me a guard that could be trusted enough to stand watch over the lab and knew how to change the IVs out. I locked up the lab and handed him a key, impressing upon him how important this was. He nodded gravely and I headed back inside. 

I walked to Lexa’s room and knocked on her door. She called out to enter and I did, closing the door behind me. She was sitting at her desk, as she was prone to do at this time of night, writing down what had occurred in the Council meeting. I walked up behind her and on impulse, as I had many times before, leaned down giving her a hug and kiss on the top of her head. She leaned back and looked up at me with a small smile on her lips.

“You smell of the earth, Nyx,” she said quietly.

I smiled down at her and replied, “That is because I was playing in the dirt.”

“How many times have we been like this before?”

“Too many to count,” I replied with a chuckle.

“Does this mean that we have moved passed professionalism.”

“It does and I have denied you this for long enough,” I said quietly.

“I see. Has there been anything else you’ve denied me?”

“There has,” I said as I walked around and pulled her up from the chair.

Wrapping my arms around her, I lowered my head and kissed her gently. Her hands circled my neck as she deepened the kiss until we parted naturally. 

She laid her head on my chest and inhaled deeply and said, “I have wanted this ever since I laid eyes on you again.”

I chuckled, “I know, Lex. I denied myself the truth in admitting that I wanted you as soon as I saw you. You’ve become even more beautiful with time.”

“I want to reclaim you, Nyx,” she whispered. “I want to make you mine again.”

“But I don’t want to reclaim you, Lexa. I still love you, but time has shown me that I do not care as deeply as I once had. It’s not because of the banishment and it’s not because of what happened. When Mother Earth saved me from killing myself, she gave me more than my life back, she gave me a chance to experience life outside of the pack and the territory.”

 

“I understand. I’m sorry that I caused you that much pain, but I couldn’t stand to lose you to death. Even in my grief, I still loved you as I do now, but I understand. You are no longer the woman I claimed.”

“Thank you for understanding. I may not want to claim you again, but I still love you and I want you.”

She stepped back slightly so that she could see my face. Smiling, she drew my head down and kissed me again. My wolf rejoiced and felt her own stir into wakefulness. I grinned against her mouth and lifted her up, carrying her to the bed. I laid her down and leaned down to kiss her properly. She moaned in pleasure and our wolves howled in delight. I spent the rest of the night remembering how good we were together.

When the alarm beeped, I woke with Lexa in my arms. I leaned over and kissed her neck, smiling. The alarm had woken her as well and she turned around to look at me. We kissed and I caressed her breast making her body arch. I wanted to take her again, but unfortunately I couldn’t. I let go of her breast and with a caress of her side, I let her go. She pouted, but I laughed.

“Mmm, don’t make that face, Lex,” I said as I sat up. “It won’t work this time. The cure is ready to be drained and if I leave it too long, it will begin to burn.”

She sat up and kissed my back along the spine, making me shiver. She chuckled, but stopped her pursuit of bringing me back to bed.

She laid her head along my back and wrapped her arms around me, “No one else has made me sing like you do. I am glad that we had this moment.”

“I am too, perhaps we may have another moment such as this, hmm?”

“I would like that very much.”

I shifted around to face her. I gently took her head in my hands and pulled her in for one last kiss. She sighed in pleasure and she let me go. I got out of bed and dressed in the clothes I wore yesterday. She wrinkled her nose and I told her that I would change and shower as soon as I was done in the lab.

Quickly walking to the lab, the guard opened the door for me and I immediately took the cure and steeped it. I covered the serum and went to check on the human. He looked remarkably better and his eyes were clear. I smiled at him and he smiled back as I checked the brain scanner. In just 18 hours, his brain showed an amazing amount of improvement.

“I’m seeing an astounding amount of improvement,” I said. “How are you feeling?”

He cleared his throat and I gave him a glass of water and I helped him sit up and drink. He laid back exhausted but remained awake. Another thing to take note of.

“Better, thank you,” he replied shyly. “Will the others also receive the cure?”

“Yes, but they will have to wait for a bit longer. Let me tell you why, okay?”

He nodded and I said, “There was a camp discovered a few hours away from here. In this camp there are over a hundred humans. When the first team got there to investigate, they were captured. A second team went in and launched the neurotoxin and it ended up affecting those over 25, 30 years of age. They have been suffering for over two months now. In this camp though, we discovered that besides the prisoners, there were Apex living among the humans. A small percentage, but enough to cause concern for their safety. So, we decided that for everyone’s safety to work on a cure. You appear to be the first success. Now I have to show the current leaders that it is a success by repeating the process in view of them.”

“I understand, but I don’t understand why you are helping them. Don’t you hate us?”

“Yes, I do, but I cannot let hate dictate my need to help those that would benefit from my help.”

“You are different from the others.”

“I’ve been told that countless times, but rest now. You still need to recover. I’ll check on you soon.”

He nodded and closed his eyes. He fell asleep quickly and I left the lab to get cleaned up. I took a long shower, washing the stress of the last 24 hours away while at the same time memorizing what it felt like to have Lexa again. Smiling, I got out and dressed. 

Heading down to the kitchen, Chef welcomed me back into the fold and made me something to eat. I hadn’t realized that it had been a long time since I ate, and I was suddenly starving. As soon as Chef laid the plates in front of me, I was shoveling food into my mouth as quickly as I could chew and swallow. Chef wagged a finger at me and I immediately slowed, grinning sheepishly around a mouthful of food. I still didn’t remember how good the food tasted as I made my way to Ben’s lab.

“Well, you looked sated,” Sephy said as I came through the door.

I made a face at her and she only laughed.

“You know, Seph, you didn’t have to stay in here this whole time,” I said as I gave her a quick hug.

“Oh, I haven’t. I’ve taken a few runs and worked on my buggy. I just enjoy Ben’s company,” she replied, taking a seat.

I gave her a funny look, but she only smiled and shrugged.

“How’ve you been, Ben? You’ve gotten out of the chair and walked around a bit, like we’ve discussed,” I asked.

“I’ve been okay. Sephy has been great company and I’ve gotten out of my chair once or twice,” he replied. “So, how’s the cure coming along? From what I’ve seen, the human is looking real good. I’ve tapped into his brain scan and it seems to be working.”

“I’ve already steeped a big batch of the cure. That’s why I’m here actually. I’d like to you to set up some monitors in the lab so that I can video conference the camp to show them from our side that there really is a cure and it’s really working,” I explained. “I want to give them proof before our time is up.”

“That’s smart, sis,” she said.

“I’m trying. I don’t want to head back over with only platitudes and half a cure. We’re already testing their patience. And I’m at the end of Clarke’s patience.”

“So, you’ll be heading back over there when they accept what you show them?”

“Yes. I’m planning on staying there as leverage for the camp. That’ll give me a chance to start training the pack and speak with the real leaders once they get better. I’d also like you to come with me, Seph.”

“Me? Why?”

“Think of it as training for Second. You’ll see a different perspective then the way Mother has been training you. Mother hasn’t been in this type of situation, I have a couple of times. Plus, you get to help me train them. Two trainers working with 13 weres is better then just one.”

“You just want to spend more time with me,” she teased.

“Yes, but I also believe this will be good for you.”

“Alright.”

“Thank you,” I said and then asked Ben, “Do you think it’s safe enough to recall the drones and bring the truck back here?”

“I don’t see why not, but I think it would be best to keep one flying overhead to keep an eye on the camp overall. We still have cameras inside the camp and some of the buildings. I’ll be able to keep monitoring everything and flying the drone from here, no problem.”

“Have I told you I love you, lately,” I said as I hugged him around his neck.

He laughed, “No, I don’t think so.”

I squeezed tighter and said, ‘I love you. I love you. I love you. Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome, Nyx. How ‘bout I get started on those monitors?”

I grinned wolfishly and left the two of them to the lab. While Ben and Sephy set up the monitors, I checked on the human. His vitals were good, the serum was still doing it’s job, he was conscious and he was cracking jokes with me. The other two were still sedated to keep the pain minimal, but they looked worse then they had yesterday. Looking at their brain scans, showed me that it had spread to motor skills and I frowned. If I didn’t give them the serum soon, it was likely that they would both die.

“Hey, boss,” Ben called out and bringing my attention back to the task at hand, “It’s set up from our end. Just need confirmation from theirs.”

“Great. Thank you,” I replied and went to prep two syringes.

Coming back, I laid them on a nearby table and brought out my communicator and said, “Raven, I know you’re listening. We need you.”

There was a bit of static and then Raven replied, “How’d you know I was listening in?”

“Because Ben’s been doing the same. It’s how he stays informed of my communications. He’s a pretty cool guy.”

“Yeah, well I’m awesome and awesome beats pretty cool any day.”

I sighed and rolled my eyes, “Whatever you say, Raven. Anyway, we need you to set up a line for a video conference with multiple screens. Can you do it?”

“Can a coder make an elephant appear? Of course I can. Look who you’re talking to.”

“I can’t, no video feed,” I said sarcastically.

“So, why are we doing a video conference?”

“Our chemist was nearly complete with the cure before she sold everyone out for a quarter mil. That’s the reason why our antidote didn’t work as planned. She tweaked it to accelerate death.”

“How do we know you’re telling us the truth? I mean, you told us the same thing about the antidote.”

“I have irrefutable proof and y’all can see for yourself, through the feed.”

“Don’t got to bite my head off there, Nyx. I’m about ready.”

“Finally. I’m going to let you talk techno to techno now. When it’s set up, get Clarke, Jasper, and your healer friend there.”

“Alright.”

I handed the communicator to Ben and they began speaking in techno geek. I rolled my eyes once more, making Sephy laugh.

Lex?

Yeah?

It’s almost set up in the lab. Will you be joining us? You can finally meet Clarke.

I can’t. The damn Council is arguing over property rights. I’m getting a headache.

Well, I can certainly cure it later.

I know you can, love. Let me know how it goes.

You know I will. Later.

Later.

I looked over at the monitors and saw Raven staring back at me.

“Looking good, Raven,” I said as I walked closer.

“Of course, you don’t mess with perfection,” she said, primping.

I shook my head and said, “Are they on their way?”

“Yeah, Ben’s been telling me about what I’m seeing on my screens. Those two humans look like they’re near death.”

“They are. I’d like to inject them as soon as possible.”

She nodded sympathetically, “I can understand that. We all can. Does this mean your coming to our side of thinking?”

“Eh, not so much. I’m just don’t like people to suffer like this.”

“A wolf with morals, who’d a thunk.”

People appeared behind her and I watched Clarke, Jasper, and the healer sit around Raven.

Showtime, sis, Sephy said to me.

I would have smiled, but I was trying to be serious.

“Okay, we’re here, Nyx,” Clarke said. “What’s going on and why the video conference?”

“It’s simple,” I replied. “Like I was telling Raven, our chemist was nearly complete in creating the cure for the neurotoxin. Gustus, Lexa’s former Second, bribed her to tweak the recipe and we know the results. Before she died, she relayed exactly how far she was and had already written down the complete recipe.”

“Did you just say former Second,” Clarke asked.

“Yes. Long story short, he and his family are currently imprisoned for treason. I’m temporarily Lexa’ Second now,” I answered.

“What does that mean for you?”

“Clarke, as much as I like our Q&As, I’d like to get through the explanation before these humans die.”

“Sorry. Please continue.”

“Anyway, using a computer simulation, I inputed the complete serum and introduced it to a human brain that had been suffering from the neurotoxin for several months. Based on the simulation and using a human test subject, within 24 hours you see a remarkable amount of improvement. In one to two weeks, they’ll be more responsive in cognitive thinking and motor skills. The strongest should be completely cured in about a month. A month and a half later everyone else will be cured completely.”

“All this from a computer simulation,” Jasper asked.

“Yes. If you look at one of the screens, it should be labeled simulation, you can watch it for yourself. Now, on the human subject, I started seeing improvements in about four hours. After 18 hours, he was able to speak clearly, skin was showing remarked improvement, and his brain scan showed that the brain was healing.”

Ben put it up on screen showing the one before serum brain scan and one that was taken just moments ago. We waited as they looked it over.

“All this in less then 24 hours,” the healer asked.

“Yes. He’s awake if you’d like to speak with him,” I replied.

“I would, please.”

“Certainly.”

I went over to his bed and sat him up. Sephy moved a camera and screen so that he could speak and see them.

“They have some questions they’d like to ask you, okay,” I said to him. “Just tell them the truth. I’m not going to get mad at anything you say, I promise.”

He tilted his head to look at me and then smiled slightly, “I really do believe you. If it will help their humans, then let them ask away.”

“Thank you,” I replied and then turned to the screen. “He’s all yours.”

I left them to speak with one another and checked on the other two. Their vitals were looking bad and I hesitated a moment, then I got the syringes.

Interrupting the conversation, I broke in and said, “Sorry, but I need to inject the serum into the other two. Their vitals are dropping into danger zones. Ben can bring up their vitals and scans to show you what I mean.”

They nodded and I immediately injected their IVs with the serum. We all watched their vitals and 30 minutes later, the vitals were improving. I sighed in relief and smiled. I walked back over to Ben and watched their faces on the screen. Clarke glanced at us briefly before she returned to the scans and vitals.

I thought of something and while we waited for them to make a decision, I went back to the simulation and I played it beyond the cured state. There were brief flickers in the two areas and I watched as they slowly sparked to life. I paused it and got Sephy to watch it with me.

Seph, what do you see?

I see the two areas showing signs of becoming Apex. Did we just create a formula that not only cures the neurotoxin, but also makes them Apex?

It looks that way. Hold on, let me check the probability factor.

I had the computer run the figures and it determined that there was a 60-85 percent chance that this would occur in humans.

I can’t decide if this is good or bad, Nyx.

Neither can I, but we got to let them know.

Yes, we do.

We both walked back to the main screens. Sephy leaned down and whispered in Ben’s ear and he looked at me in surprise.

“Um, Clarke,” I said, bringing her attention back to me. “A thought occurred to me while you were watching their vitals. I went back to the simulation and moved past the cured moment. The simulation showed that those two areas began showing activity.”

“What do you mean,” she asked

“It means, that there’s a 60-85 percent chance that the cured humans will become Apex,” I answered.

“So, you’re saying that you’ve discovered a way to turn humans into Apex using the serum?”

“It looks that way and I can’t decide if it’s good or bad. The good is that if it does occur, those that used to be human would be able to fully integrate into society without fear of being killed. The bad news is that it could completely eradicate humans as a species.”

“Did you by chance run a simulation on a healthy human brain,” Jasper asked.

I shook my head and replied, “No, not yet. I felt it more prudent to inform you of what may occur. This means that we have to closely monitor the three here in the lab for at least a month longer.”

“Could you run the simulation now and give us a live feed?”

I looked over at Ben and he nodded his head and with a few keystrokes brought up the simulator. I walked back to the computer and brought up a healthy adult brain and inserted the serum. I sped up the process slightly and at one week there was no change. Skipped to weeks 2 and 3, nothing. Week four showed possible sparks, so I slowed it down. After six weeks, there was a steady pulse but nothing permanent. I sped it up, but it remained pulsing and then started to dwindle back down.

“Okay,” Jasper said, “It appears that after six weeks there’s activity. Then it becomes a steady pulse for a while before it goes away. Which could possibly mean that the humans would experience what it was like to have powers, but it wouldn’t be permanent. What about the cured brains?”

I switched back and continued the simulation. The areas didn’t begin to pulse, but instead showed the areas growing brighter.

“It looks like the initial introduction of the neurotoxin is the key,” I said. “Which means that your adults will show signs of becoming Apex. If they become Apex, any children they have will be born Apex.”

“I concur,” Jasper said and the healer agreed.

“Which leaves you guys with a decision to make, Clarke. Give the adult humans the serum and most likely turn them into Apex or not and they die,” I said.

She scrunched her face in thought and then pulled the other three into a closed conversation to where we could only hear murmuring. 

“Does this mean, I’m going to become like you,” the human asked.

I turned to look at him and replied, “I honestly don’t know. It would appear that there’s a strong possibility that it will occur. Is that something you’d want?”

“I mean, it would be nice to not be used like a lab rat or someone’s punching bag. It would also mean that I’m not beholden to anyone but myself. But since I have a family, in order for me to take care of them, I would have to technically own them. Then there’s the stigma of maintaining a close relationship with humans. It’s a rather difficult decision. It seems to me that those people have never had to deal with the way humans are treated now, so they would benefit more from the change than I would,” he replied, thinking out loud.

I nodded in understanding, “With any decision there are always good and bad things that can happen as a result. You have to weigh the results and decide which one you’re more comfortable living with. Now with the camp, it’s a little more complex. Everyone under 30 weren’t affected. Which leaves around 100 pure humans. Some of the sick adults are family members, so they’re met with the same conundrum as you have. They still have to wrap their heads around to the fact that this is the way it is.”

“You’re biggest hinderance, ma’am, is that you have your point of view to express Apex versus Human, but you don’t have it from our point of view. That could possibly help, don’t you think?”

 

I took a long moment to really think about his words and he was right. My version of the world is different than his. Growing up, humans were something to loathe, not good enough to share a table or meal with, not worth giving the time of day to. They were ignored, owned, beaten, and killed. To me that was just par for the course. Apex are prejudicial to humans. We look at those that willingly interact with humans on a daily basis with a combination of horror and disgust. We feel sorry for those that have to deal with humans because of their profession. 

I could be viewed as being hypocritical because I still have that strong dislike, almost hatred of humans and yet, I’m trying to save them. I’m listening to a human and actually giving his words weight in regards to the situation. I don’t know that I would have shown the same courtesy outside of the situation, but I probably wouldn’t. It takes a long time to change your opinions about something and if I wanted to change, I’d have to reverse 28 years of prejudice.

I shook my head and said, “You’re right. It would help them to see from the opposing view point. I’ll speak with Lexa and see if she’ll allow a human to speak with their leaders. That’s the best I can offer you.”

“That’s better’n most Apex tell me. I trust you to honor your word.”

“Thank you.”

“Hey, Nyx, hate to burst your little pow wow over there, but they’ve made a decision,” Sephy said.

“Alright,” I replied and gave his knee a gentle squeeze before I walked over to the monitors. “So, what’s it gonna be, Clarke?”

“We’re going to go ahead and give them the serum,” Clarke replied still looking troubled.

“You’re afraid of what the humans who weren’t affected will react to such news, aren’t you?”

“Quite frankly, yes. I’m not sure how anyone will react once they learn what’s outside our shield.”

“It’s understandable. That’s why I’m coming over there. I can at least give the history from my point of view. It’s been brought to my attention, too, that it might be a good idea to get it from a human’s perspective as well. Though that’s something I have to discuss with Lexa.”

“What do you mean coming over here,” she asked.

“I have a batch already to use that I can bring over, plus the recipe book that our chemist used, minus the neurotoxin recipe or anything that could be construed as harmful to either the humans or Apex. It would also be in your best interest to have me and my sister there as better leverage than the 19 prisoners. I’m Lexa’s acting Second and Sephy is in training to become a Second for the Southern Pack. Two Seconds are more valuable then 19 pack members, don’t you think?”

“So, the two of you are willing to stay our prisoners in exchange for the cure and the release of the 19 pack members,” she asked.

“On top of the fact that we can train your pack how to fight, get y’all used to using your powers offensively and defensively, give y’all the history of the last 83 years, and act as liaison between de Pakstoka and yourselves. Personally, I think you’re getting the better half of the bargain.”

“She’s right, Clarke,” Raven said. “We’re going to need all the help we can get if we want to move beyond the shield.”

“Alright, but I want continuous feed on how those three are doing and a guarantee of their safety and upkeep.”

“Done and I know the perfect person to bring in that’ll be willing to do that,” I said with a toothy grin.

“How soon can you get here?”

“Give me three days. She’ll be coming in from Old Towne and I have to set up a separate medical wing for the humans. I also have to inform the Council and a bunch of political crap before we can be over there. Just be prepared, I’ll probably have several transports with me, if I know Lexa. She’ll want to set up a separate residence for me and will insist on sending a crew to make a space or house livable and safe for us. That’s just the way it is. There might be some minor magecraft, so we’ll have to keep the humans away. Then, they’ll all leave with the prisoners and we can really get down to business.”

“Lexa will do all of that for you,” Raven asked astonished.

I blushed and replied, “Um, some habits are harder to break then others when it comes to Lexa and I.”

Realization dawned on her face and she snickered while Clarke glared at her because she didn’t quite understand what I was implying, which relieved me.

“So, now that we’re done here,” I said. “We’ll leave the vitals up and running so that you guys can monitor. While, we get our shit together.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Clarke said, giving me a small smile. “I’ll see you in three days.”

I grinned at her and we left the lab.

Pulling out my communicator, I called up an old friend of mine who dealt with sick or injured humans.

“Hello,” a honeyed, southern woman drawled.

I smiled at her voice, “Hey Scar, it’s been awhile.”

Scarlett, or Scar, screamed in delight at hearing my voice, “Well, bless the angels on high, you’re alive. Nyx, darlin’ we all thought you were dead. You haven’t been to the bar in ages and no one knew where you were.”

I toed the ground and said, “Yeah, I’m real sorry ‘bout that. There was a family emergency and I had to come back home.”

“Wait a cotton pickin’ moment! You’re home?! Like home, home?”

“Um, yeah. de Pakstoka needed my skills and allowed me to come home.”

“Then she must be balls deep in mud if she called you home.”

I laughed as Sephy gave me a weird look, “I guess that would be a good way to describe it. Listen, the reason why I’m calling is that I could really use your help.”

“Whatcha need, sugar?”

“Ya think you can leave the business for possibly a few months,” I asked cringing at the probability that her voice was about to raise several octaves.

“A few months?!,” she asked, her voice indeed traveling upwards. “What in god’s name have you gotten yourself into, Nyx Allistar?”

“I really wish I could tell you, but because of the nature of the situation I can’t. I’m sorry. What I can tell you though, is that I need three humans who are recovering from a virus closely monitored for at least the next month.”

“And why can’t you do that, yourself?”

I sighed and mumbled, “I’m Lexa’s Second and I’ve got other things to take care of.”

“What was that, Nyx? I didn’t quite catch that.”

I rolled my eyes and said more clearly, “I’m Lexa’s acting Second and there are other things that need my attention.”

“You’re what,” she screeched loud enough to cause feedback.

“You heard me, woman. It’s why I can’t monitor the humans, there’s something more pressing that I have to take care of.”

“Don’t you dare use that tone with me, young lady,” she reprimanded and I snorted. “And let me guess, you can’t tell me what’s so pressing, can you?”

“No, Scar, I can’t. Not until you agree to come here and sign a non-disclosure. Scar, you’re the only one I trust to do this or I wouldn’t be askin’. Please say you’ll come.”

“Ugh, fine, but you owe me, missy. Big time. How soon do you need me there?”

“In the next three days?”

“You’re pushin’ me, Nyx,” she said sighing deeply. “Alright, I have to move a few things around, but I’ll be at the border in two.”

“Thank you, Scar. You won’t regret this, I promise,” I gushed. “I’ll meet you at the border in two days then.”

“You bet your ass, you will. You and me are gonna have some words.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll see you then.”

“Alright. Take care. Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

“A former lover, I presume,” Sephy said as I hung it back onto my belt.

I grinned at her and said, “You presume correctly, but it’s a tad more serious then a one night stand.”

“Oh, so you were seeing her more frequently, but not girlfriend frequent.”

“Right. Come on, kiddo. We’ve got a Council meeting to interrupt.”

When we arrived at the door to the Council Room, the guard opened it and we walked through. Taking my seat at the table, I apologized for being late.

“Were you able to persuade the camp that the serum works,” Lexa asked immediately.

“Yes, Pakstoka. We were successful in that endeavor,” I replied. “I’ve also gotten them to agree to an exchange of personnel. In exchange for the release of the 19, Persephone and I will take their place and live with them for the time being.”

“You can’t be serious,” a Councilor said. “You’d be putting your lives at extreme risk by staying there. We cannot afford to lose two more Seconds.”

“Councilor, I understand, but the gravity of the situation does call for it. Having us there is saying that de Pakstoka is trusting them with something valuable in return for the cure and our pack members. It’s also prudent to have someone there with high enough authority that decisions can be made without having to stop what we’re doing and consult with her or the Council. It will allow us to monitor the situation and if need be, remove the Apex if the humans become violent.”

“It’ll also give us a chance,” Sephy said, “to train the new pack and mages in their powers and fighting techniques. Once their original leaders are healthier, we can begin explaining our world to them, help them understand why having such a large population of humans can be dangerous. Not only for us, but for them as well. This is all essential to ending this conflict peacefully and help bring both councils to the negotiation table.”

“Councilors, they make very valid points,” Lexa said soothingly. “These two are not prone to making hasty judgements nor do they enter a potentially dangerous situation without weighing the risks beforehand. You know how the Allistars are. All of our families have worked with theirs for generations. You know that this is probably the safest and surest bet in coming out successful.”

I bowed my head and said, “Thank you, Pakstoka. You honor us with your words. Councilors, I understand you might be hesitant in entrusting me with this, but please be assured that I do care for the pack. I always have, even during my banishment. That’s the true reason why I accepted the job in the first place. You have always been my people and will continue to be my people. Let me honor you by doing this. Let me show you that your faith is not misplaced.”

“Thank you, Nyx,” Lexa said. “Was there anything you wished to add?”

“No, Pakstoka. There is nothing to be added at this time,” I replied, “but there are few things that I need to address with you privately, when time permits.”

“Very well. Please head to my office and wait, we’re almost done here,” she said in dismissal.

I stood up and bowed, “de Pakstoka. Councilors. Thank you for your time.”

They dismissed us and we walked over to her office, but I stopped at the door and turned to Sephy.

“Seph, you don’t have to stay for this,” I said as I leaned against the doorframe. “Go for a run or find someone to play with. This is a serious situation, but it’s important to take the time and relax. You know what mom used to always say…”

She made a face and replied, “All work means you ain’t livin’ to your fullest.”

I smiled and rubbed her head, “That’s right. Why do you think she and I spent a lot of our free time doing stupid shit?”

“I know, I know. I get it. I’ll leave the two of you to ‘discuss’ what’s going on.”

“Hey, there will be business discussed,” I replied indignantly.

“Maybe for a little bit, but I do remember some of the shit you two got into,” she said with a laugh and ran off.

I shook my head and walked into the office. I went over to the side table and poured myself some whiskey and plopped down on the couch to wait. I was sprawled out on the couch, glass dangling loosely from my fingers, when Lexa came in.

“You better not drop that glass, Nyx. It costs a fortune to have it cleaned,” she said as she walked over to me.

I looked up at her and carefully put the glass on the table. She took the hint and slid down the couch to land on top of me. We kissed languidly and enjoyed the momentary respite. She got off of me and took a sip of my whiskey and made a face.

“I don’t know how you can drink this. I, at least, need something to change the taste.”

I chuckled and sitting up, took the glass from her and took a sip, “You do not change nor dilute perfection, Lex.”

“Is that what you call it? Perfection in a bottle,” she said as she poured herself a different drink and then came to sit beside me.

“Among other things,” I replied. “How’s your head?”

“Feels like someone is trying to turn my brain to granite,” she bemoaned.

I shifted a bit and said, “Come here then.”

She obliged by turning her back to me and scooting closer. I massaged her shoulders as I used my healing to help ease the pain. She relaxed under my ministrations and leaned back against me.

“Thank you. That felt good.”

“Your welcome, Lex, but I really do have matters to discuss with you.”

She sighed, but only made herself more comfortable against me. This was usual behavior for us. When we spoke privately about business, we were always this intimate.

“What’s going on,” she asked as she took a sip of her drink.

“We’ve discovered a side affect of the serum. Those that have been affected by the neurotoxin and receive the serum, will more then likely change into Apex.”

“How likely?”

“60-85 percent.”

“That could be beneficial.”

“Yes, but we don’t know how many adults are suffering and that still leaves the 100 humans that weren’t affected.”

“I see,” she said quietly, “Did you try the serum on a normal, healthy human brain?”

“Mm-hm,” I said as I swallowed the whiskey, “It took six weeks to show any kind of activity, but it eventually faded away. It’s possible that they would experience temporary powers.”

“That could make things ugly if they were ever injected with the serum.”

“Yes,” I said as I slid her hair aside and kissed her neck. “That’s why I gave Clarke choices. Give the sick people the serum and they may or may not become Apex or not and let them die. Though, we all did agree that giving the healthy humans the serum would be a real bad move.”

She exposed more of her neck to me as she asked, “Do our humans show signs of turning?”

“It’s too soon to tell,” I said kissing her neck again. “It’ll be another month at most before we see any results.”

“If you’re in Manassas, how will you monitor them?”

“I’ve called in a friend. She’s a healer that deals almost exclusively with humans.”

“She’s agreed then? Does she know what’s happening here?”

“She’s agreed to come, but I haven’t told her anything yet. I’m having her sign a non-disclosure.”

“Smart,” she said as she turned her head and pulled me down for a kiss. “Was that all?”

“No. The human that I injected with the serum first brought up an important fact. We can present these people with our point of view of the way things work, but we don’t have a way to show it from the human perspective.”

“You think we should allow them to have a chance to speak with a human?”

“Honestly, I’m not too sure on the matter. I would think that from a human perspective we seem cruel and vicious towards humans, but that may be something that they need to realize. Give them the true gravity of our situation.”

“Let me give it some thought about that, hmm,” she said as she turned around and forced me down. 

“As you wish,” I replied and pulled her down to me.


	21. Nyx

Two days later, I was pacing the border as I waited for Scarlett to arrive. I was kinda nervous. Scar had listened many times to my drunken rants and rages about Forest Pack and Lexa. About how she should have executed me and how much I missed my family, my friends, my position, Lexa. It had probably been exhausting to hear me go on and on, but she stayed. She listened and she became my best friend. 

But, today was going to be a different story. Here I was back with the pack, in my position, and friends with benefits with Lexa. She’d probably think I lost my head to come back to all of this after everything that had happened. I couldn’t argue with her, I felt that way sometimes until I remembered why I agreed.

Finally, we saw dust appear on the horizon and I shaded my eyes to see better. When her distinct electric purple rover came into view, I stepped over the border and waited grinning like a damn fool. She was coming in fast, but at the last minute, skidded to a halt turning the car sideways and showering everyone in dust and rocks. I shook out my hair as I heard the door open and close. Before I even had a chance to do more than that, I was tackled into a bear hug and swung around. When she let me go, I had to bend over and place my hands on my knees to get my equilibrium back.

I looked up at her there and said, “God damn, woman. You tryin’ kill me or somethin’?”

“I should, Nyx,” she replied haughtily. “After fucking disappearing on us like that. Then to find out your house was blown up. What the fuck did you get yourself into?”

I stood up slowly and said, “The house was a result of payback for a job I did for the Coalition. Ben and I were already here when it happened. And you gotta sign the non-disclosure before I can tell ya anythin’ else, alright?”

She huffed and held out her hand, “Alright, Nyx. Ya got that paperwork for me?”

I reached down into a side pocket and pulled out a small tablet and stylus. Handing it to her, I said, “It’s a standard one. You promise not to reveal to anyone outside the immediate people involved about what you see and hear, the pack has a right to imprison and possibly execute you if you break it.”

She raised an eyebrow at me and said, “Standard, huh? That doesn’t seem standard to me, hun.”

I shrugged, “Okay, it’s standard for the pack. The information is just too sensitive, is all.”

“Mm-hm,” she said as she signed it and handed it back to me. 

I put it up and gave her a proper welcome. We climbed into the rover, with me behind the wheel and the guards opened up the gate.

Once we were away from the gate, Scar asked, “Okay, what the hell is goin’ on that got you to come back to this damn place?”

I looked at her out of the corner of my eye and replied, “A month or so ago, I was visited by Lexa’s former Second. He informed me that a large community of people showed up in Manassas without permission and the five teams they had sent to investigate disappeared without a trace. Lexa wanted to hire me, dangling money and unlimited resources. I denied and he brought out the only things that would have ever convinced me to take the job.”

“Ending your banishment, lifting the kill order, and bringing you back into the pack?”

“Yep,” I said nodding. “So, I accepted. I didn’t really care about being a part of a pack again, but I really missed this place more than I’d thought and especially my fams. Unbeknownst to me, a woman that I’d slept with the same night her Second visited me, was visiting the Garrison Commander in regards to the very situation I’d found myself in.”

“Are you shittin’ me, Nyx? The same damn woman you slept with came out of Manassas to do what exactly?”

“To find out what the rules are regarding the pack teams they had taken prisoners. They went back home when he couldn’t help them because they were in the middle of Forest Pack territory. Cut the story a bit shorter, there are over a 100 humans living in Manassas with only 22 Apex who didn’t know they were Apex until just a little while ago.”

“How in Mother Earth, did they not know they were Apex? And where the hell did all the humans come from?”

“Easy. For the last 83 years they’ve resided in a bunker underneath Manassas Town Hall. The humans have no clue that we exist and the ones that have discovered that they’re Apex are learning and don’t understand exactly why we treat humans like we do.”

“I can get under that,” she said nodding, “So, why am I here exactly?”

“The pack chemist developed a neurotoxin that paralyzes the parts in our brain that control our powers and telepathy. The second team launched that into their camp. Everyone over the age of 30 became sick. The neurotoxin spread out from those spots and attacked the rest of the brain causing some terrible side effects like skin lesions and blindness. The worst was that it was slowly killing them off. It affected their leaders leaving kids in charge. Anyway, we offered to create a cure in exchange for the pack members that are held prisoner. Chemist ended up giving me a tweaked recipe that is used to counteract the toxin when we inhale it, which ended up killing 20 more adults.”

“So, this chemist…”

“Was found out, interrogated, and subsequently executed. The Second had bribed her to tweak the recipe that led to the deaths. Also found out that the Second had been leaking personal information on de Pakstoka for the last eight years. An Ice Pack spy had made it’s way into the pack and convinced the Second to help get rid of me and allowing him to take over. Which led to my banishment and shit.”

“So, you really weren’t at fault,” she said in wonderment. “You were manipulated.”

“Yes. Anyway back to why you’re here…the chemist had nearly completed the formula and it works spectacularly. We have three humans that were injected with the neurotoxin prior to the antidote spectacle. I introduced one of them to the serum about four days ago. Extremely vast improvement. The other two were injected with the serum that same day you and I talked.”

“Okay, sounds good so far,” she said thoughtfully.

“Right,” I said. “There’s a huge possibility that the humans who were hit by the neurotoxin and then given the serum will become Apex a month or so after receiving the serum.”

“But you’re not sure?”

“No, but according to the computer simulation there is a high probability that it will happen. And that’s where you come in. I can’t monitor them myself because I’m heading out to Manassas tomorrow with the serum and recipe book. My sister and I will be staying there to help train the new pack and mages in their powers. Along with other things.”

“You mean you’re willingly turning yourself over to them as their prisoner.”

“In a nutshell. It’s just until the original leaders are well enough and comprehend exactly what they walked into when they opened the bunker. The Forest Pack is willing to talk peace with them, but it’s still about gaining trust.”

“Not to mention they have the largest population of humans this world hasn’t seen in like 50 years.”

I turned to look at her and grinned, “Yep. We want to get this settled before the Coalition can hook their greedy little paws in.”

“Do you trust the current leadership in their camp?”

“I’ve spoken with them and they’ve listened to what I’ve said. The antidote fiasco has been the only issue. That’s another reason why I’m staying. I have to make sure that we give them no other reason to distrust us. I want this to be successful.”

“And it’s got nothing to do with you becoming Second again or that you’re still hooked on Lexa?”

“No, it has nothing to do with those. Becoming Second is giving me leverage and the authority to act as de Pakstoka’s liaison. Lexa and I are back to being friends and lovers, but I have no desire to reclaim her. I guess you could say she’s back to being a notch on my belt.”

“Mmm, and what am I, Nyx,” she practically purred in my ear.

“You, my dear,” I said pulling off the side of the road and pulling her to me, “Are more then a mere notch, Scar. You are something else.”

She chuckled throatily, “And what is it that I am?”

“Indescribable,” I said as I pulled her mouth to mine.

It took us another hour to reach the mansion grounds, but it was worth it. We climbed out of her rover and started pulling her things out.

“So, Scar,” I said getting her attention away from the opulence of the mansion. “I’ve got a room for you set up inside the mansion or there’s an available room in the hospital wing near the humans. Which would you druther?”

She looked forlornly at the mansion and shook her head, “It’s important that I stay near my patients. Makes my response time faster if something happens, ya know?”

“I know,” I said signaling two guards to pick up her things. “Being a responsible adult is a bitch.”

She laughed and grabbed my hand as I led the way to the hospital wing we were keeping the humans. I directed the guards to put her things in a room and then took Scar to meet her patients.

They were all doing remarkably well. The two that were near death were responding slower then the first guy, but I expected that to happen because of close they were to the end. Scar introduced herself and checked their vitals and even got there names, which I didn’t even think of getting. I checked on their brain scans and noted it down so I could put it in a report later on.

When she was done, I escorted her to Lexa’s office to introduce her. There was a bit of a stare down between the two, but they worked it out and were on their way to becoming friends. I handed Lexa the signed agreement and left them to start packing. I picked out clothing that I labeled; workout, everyday, and professional. There was a large pile of work out clothes then the other two combined, but I was going to be prepared to get down and dirty. Training was hard work and things would get messy. My weapons were already loaded up in Sephy’s buggy, so I didn’t need to worry about that. I just needed to find a place to stay, so I headed to Ben’s lab.

“Hey, killer,” I said as I knocked on the door startling Ben and Sephy apart. I quirked my brow at them, but left it alone.

“Hey, sis,” Sephy said nonchalantly, which raised my brow higher, “you get your friend here safe and sound?”

“Oh, yeah,” I replied. “She’s already seen her patients and was speaking with Lexa when I went to pack. How’s everything going here?”

“Everything’s good, boss,” Ben replied, “Seph and I have been going over blueprints of the homes that are still intact.”

“That’s great. In fact, that was why I was coming here to begin with. You find any good leads?”

“Two, in fact,” Sephy gushed. “Ben, can you show her?”

“Sure,” he replied and I was soon looking at some homes that were nearly compounds themselves.

“Are they within the shield,” I asked as I looked at the blueprints.

“Yes. That’s one of the requirements that we were looking for.”

“Requirements?”

“Yeah. A big enough place to house us and the Manassas Pack. Secluded away from the humans. Large enough area to train indoors and outdoors. A tall enough wall that we can build a ward on to keep humans out and give everyone the privacy they need to use their powers or shift. And enough bathrooms to compensate for nearly 20 weres.”

“And you’ve settled on these two?”

Ben nodded and said, “Yep, these two are the prime choices.”

“Okay, so give me the pros and cons of each compound.”

They did and we finally settled on the one that was to the east of the town hall and away from where the humans were residing. I left them to go back to whatever they had been doing before I got there and went in search for who ever was going to be leading the transport and moving company. I found them already loading up the trucks with furniture and cleaning equipment. I let them know that we’ve decided on a place and that tomorrow Persephone will be supervising the move in. They nodded and off I went to find Chef.

That was where I was when Scar and Lexa found me. Scar hopped on the table beside me and snagged my salad. I growled menacingly at her, but she only laughed and started eating it. Lexa had a little more decorum and actually asked. I huffed and slid a plate of steamed vegetables at her. I at least got to finish my steak without either of them trying to take bites out of it, too.

“I just don’t get it, Nyx,” Lexa said shaking your head. “How can you eat it seared like that? It takes the flavor away.”

“It enhances the flavor, not detracts, Lexa love,” I replied. “Some of you just don’t have as refined a palate as I do.”

Scar laughed, choking on the salad, “Refined palate, as if. You once convinced me to clay bake a salmon and I threw up after taking two bites. That shit was nasty. I swear you eat like a human sometimes.”

“Hey, that’s an insult. Take it back,” I said narrowing my eyes at her.

“Nope,” she said as she hopped off the table and began backing away. “Cooking your meat, that’s just plain repulsive. Only humans do that. Can’t get the right amount of protein and such, cooking it.”

I made a lunge for her, but Lexa tackled me from behind and Scar ran around the other side of kitchen, cackling.

“Lexa, what’re you doing? The woman just insulted me. She has to pay,” I said as I struggled to untangle my legs from her.

“I’m sorry, love, but you do like your meat weird. Definitely, human-like,” she said laughing at me.

“Sonofabitch! Really?! The two of you?,” I said as I continued to struggle. “This is what I get for introducing people. I swear y’all wait for this to happen and then gang up on me. This is so not cool!”

“What’s not cool,” someone asked from the door.

When I saw who it was, I groaned because it was Dani. Could my night get any worse.

“Not you, too,” I moaned. “Please tell me you’re not going to criticize the way I eat meat, too?”

“Oh, we’re having that conversation again,” she said laughing and kneeling down to help hold me down. “Lex, how many times have we had this conversation?”

“I think since we were two, maybe,” she replied with a grin.

“Whoa, whoa, wait,” Scar said as she came back over. “Are you telling me that she’s been like that with her meat since practically day one.”

“Yep, pissed her mother off real good, too. She’s the only one in the family that does it. Even Sephy eats her meat raw.”

I was starting to get annoyed, but at the same time I was enjoying myself. Couldn’t help myself with three very beautiful women holding me hostage.

“Alright. Alright, you win,” I said as I relaxed. “I eat my meat weird. Happy?”

“Not quite, sugar,” Scar said as knelt beside me. “Ya see, me and Lexa got to talking and…”

“And,” I prompted.

“And,” Lexa said as she got off my legs, “We’ve decided to give you a night you’ll never forget.”

“Ooh,” Dani said gleefully, “Got room for one more?”

“For you, Dani? Always,” she said giving her a caress. 

Scar leaned over me and kissed Dani who in turn fondled Lexa’s breast. I lay there enjoying the show and then they started getting more into it, leaving me out.

“So, what,” I said pitifully. “All I get to do is watch. That’s not a night I want to remember.”

They broke apart laughing and finally brought me into the mix. It really was a memorable night.

 

I woke up in a tangle of bodies that was actually difficult to extract myself from, but when I did, I sighed in relief. I walked into the bathroom and discovered that I was sore, but in all the right places. I smiled as I stepped in the shower and was still smiling as I dried my hair and put it up in it’s usual braid. I leaned against the doorframe in my towel as I watched the three of them sleep. For whatever reason these three women were determined to love me and make sure I knew they would always want me.

I sighed and got dressed. I regretfully woke them up so that they could get doing what they did best. They tried to get me back in bed, but I wasn’t having it. Laughing, I walked out of my bedroom and headed to the kitchen. Chef was busy cleaning up the mess we had made last night and I cringed.

“Sorry, Chef,” I said as I grabbed an apple and hightailed it out of there and headed for the safety of Ben’s lab.

“You know, the whole mansion could here y’all last night,” Sephy said from the bed, making me jump.

I blushed, “Um, you did?”

She grinned at me wickedly, “Well, yeah. Kinda hard to block out the sounds of furniture breaking, glass smashing, various sounds of pleasure, howls, and did I here a cat yowl?”

I laughed weakly and said, “Um, Scar is a werepanther?”

“And no one complained?”

“Um, she’s, um,” I stammered and then glared at her. “You know what, you’re too young for this.”

“Oh, please,” she said rolling her eyes, “I’ve already been to my fair share of orgies, Sis. You started off pretty young too, if what mother says is true.”

I opened and closed my mouth because I could think of nothing to say to her, which was a first for me.

“So, Mom was telling the truth,” she laughed and couldn’t stop. I went and sat in the chair, glaring at her as I munched on my apple.

Ben came into the room and saw Sephy laughing her ass off and me glaring daggers at her.

“Um, hey boss,” he said as he carefully let himself in. “Your, um, women are looking for you.”

“My what,” I said, sitting up and spitting out a chunk of apple.

“Um, you know, the three women, you, um, spent the night with?”

I growled and he backed himself into a corner, which got Seph to get serious and put herself in front of him making me stop. I stood up in surprise and mumbled sorry and got out of there. I shook my head trying to get rid of the idea that maybe Ben and my sister…Nope, was not going to think about it.

_Seph, can you make sure everything’s loaded up on the trucks, including my bike? Have Ben give you something to make sure nothing’s been messed with or the people there that are coming with aren’t gonna start shit when we get there. ___

_You’re not going to hurt Ben, are you?_

_No, sweetheart. I’m just embarrassed about last night._

_You know, you shouldn’t be._

_I know, but it’s kinda different now. Hard to explain. Please just get the trucks ready?_

_Alright. Laters._

_Laters._

I found them lounging in the sun room having coffee and gossiping with one another.

“You know,” I said as I entered, “I’m not so sure it’s a good idea to leave you around each other.”

“Why,” Lexa asked as she handed me a cup. “Afraid that we’re all going to get into trouble with you not here?”

I chuckled and took a sip, “The opposite actually. I’m afraid that y’all start trouble without me here.”

“Oh, darlin’,” Scar drawled. “Cats and dogs do know how to get along and play nice.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” I said as I sat down.

Dani got up and sat on my lap and started nuzzling my neck and said, “Well, the good news, ladies, is that we have marked her well and good. Nyx, honey, you’re not gonna get rid of us that easily with just one shower.”

I groaned as she bit just beneath my earlobe.

“Easy, Dani,” Lexa reprimanded. “She still has a lot to do today. We need her to be able to move with minimal soreness.”

Dani sighed and stopped, but stayed on my lap. I drank my coffee as I listened to them talk above me. I didn’t mind, I was quite comfortable enjoying the four of us like this. I even had a brief fantasy of us doing this in the future on a more permanent basis.

_Sis, the trucks are loaded and we’re ready to head out when you are._

_Ben ready, too? He’ll be bringing in the drones and driving the truck back here._

_Yep, all we need is you._

_Alright. I’ll be there in a bit. I’ve got to stop by the lab and pick up the serum and recipe book._

_Gotcha._

“Sorry, ladies, but duty calls,” I said as I scooted Dani off of my lap. “The trucks are ready to head out. They’re just waiting on me now.”

Dani pouted, but relinquished a goodbye kiss. Lexa and Scarlett both hugged and kissed me goodbye with a reminder to check in frequently. I promised and headed to the lab to get the serum and book. With them in my hand, I finally got into Sephy’s buggy and we were off. I radioed ahead to let them know we were on our way. I got a big old ‘okie-dokie’ from Raven and a see you soon from Clarke.

“Wow, they really hit you with their markers last night, Nyx,” Sephy said as she pulled her head out from behind the windshield.

“Don’t remind me, Seph,” I grumbled. “This will take days to rid their scent markers from me.”

“Mom really wasn’t kidding when she said you really made an impact on women.”

“No, she wasn’t,” I sighed. “I’m back in the pack for less then a week and I’ve got three, that I swear, want to do more then mark me.”

“I know you’ve told Lexa that you weren’t interested, but would it really be such a bad thing? To be claimed?”

“Right now, yes, it would be a bad thing. I’ve got more important matters to focus on then who I want to spend the rest of my life with or even if I want that right now. I’m hoping that you’re not that eager to settle down yet either.”

“Oh, no. I’m still having too much fun, but I am finding that I’m already playing favorites.”

“Um, could you guys not talk about the whole claiming and having lots of sex around me please,” Ben said uncomfortably from the back seat.

I turned and looked at him and replied, “Sorry, Ben. It’s just the way the pack is. I’ve told you this, but we’re going to stop. I know how uncomfortable you get.”

“Yeah, sorry, Ben,” Sephy said looking at him through the review mirror.

“Thank you,” Ben said relieved.

We stopped talking about it out loud but our conversation still continued the rest of the trip.


	22. Nyx

We dropped off Ben at the truck and continued on our way.

Radioing ahead, I said, “Raven, we should be coming up on the first ridge in a minute. Get ready to take the shields down.”

“Alright,” she replied. “I’ll make sure that they just let y’all through. You know where you’re heading?”

“Yep, there’s a mini compound to the right of Town Hall a bit. We’ll be setting up there. It’s a good place for Octavia’s pack to claim as their own.”

“So, you’re already thinking that Manassas will stay ours?”

“By rights of occupation, yes. Manassas is yours. The Pack Council has no qualms about handing it over to you. Humans are still up for debate.”

“Gotcha,” she said, “Alright, I’ve got you on the feed, just slow down a bit more and you won’t have to come to a stop.”

“Alright. Talk to you soon.”

“I’ll have Clarke, Octavia, and Nate meet you there.”

“Thanks.”

 

Sephy slowed the buggy making the transports slow down as well. It was timed perfectly and we rolled through with no problem. The humans stood on either side of the street, looking on in fear. It made me wonder if it didn’t look like we were an invading force. Luckily, they just stood there watching as we rolled by. About two blocks out from the compound one of the mages jumped out of the truck and set up a ward to dissuade humans from coming closer. It kept us from having to hide our powers while the house was set up. We pulled up and the trucks pulled into the compound grounds and everyone jumped out and started to get to work. Sephy and I got out of the buggy and headed over the the small group. Raven, of course, had invited herself along as well.

“What’s all this,” Octavia asked as her arms swept the entire compound.

“Your new pack headquarters,” I replied. “We’ve brought furniture and food. The mages will set up the running water and electricity. They’ll also reinforce the foundations and set up enclosures for outdoor training and indoor training. It’ll be big enough that both weres and mages can practice without having to hide in a small room in the bunker.”

“You’re doing this for us,” Nate asked bewildered.

“Yes,” Sephy replied, “Think of it as a professional curtesy, from one pack leader to another. Like Nyx told Raven, the Council has pretty much said that Manassas is yours. Having your pack house here in town cements that idea.”

“This is very generous of your pack leader, Nyx,” Clarke said stepping closer to me. “I don’t really understand where the generosity is coming from.”

I took a moment to think about what to say and then, “Every pack that has started up here has received the same treatment, Clarke. Most of the packs are along our borders, so it’s important to get everything up and running quickly before the pack starts guarding the borders. That way packs don’t have to worry about setting up homes, farms, livestock, communications and so on. I’ve told you that eventually Octavia will have to register the pack once this is all settled. Of course, we’re assuming that you all will want to stay here, together, and really makes this a community.”

“Does that include the humans,” she asked cautiously.

“I can’t answer that yet. For now, the humans stay here. There’s a good possibility that the humans will have to be spread out to some of the smaller towns that are nearby or to other packs. We want to keep the Coalition out of our territory and keeping such a large population of humans together could eventually draw them out here. None of us want their involvement if we can help it.”

“Well, at least you’re honest,” Clarke said sighing. “So, what happens now?”

“Now,” I replied, “we cure your adults.”

I went back to the buggy and withdrew the batch of serum and the recipe book. Sephy, Octavia, and Nate stayed to supervise the move. I reminded Sephy that only half of the food goes to the house, the rest to the camps food stores. I followed Clarke down to medical and we met up with their healer and Jasper.

“Is that the serum,” the healer asked.

I handed the serum to him and said, “It’s enough to inject about 20 people. I’d start off with the sickest. You won’t see any changes for about 30 minutes or so. When they start showing improvement’s, I’d move on to your leaders. The sooner we can get them on the way back to being healthy, the sooner we can hopefully get us to a peace summit.”

He nodded and got to work and I handed Jasper the recipe book. He started flipping through the pages and I watched as his eyes got bigger and bigger.

He looked up at me in astonishment, “The chemist created all of this?”

I smiled, “Yes. Chemist’s are phenomenal at what they can essentially cook up. Most of what is made is all plant based. So, my suggestion for you, Jasper, is to build yourself a greenhouse. We’ve brought you some seedlings, bulbs, lighting, irrigation for you to get started. I’ve also included a comprehensive book of the flora in this region that provides what each plant is good for.”

“Wow, thanks, Nyx. You’re not so bad,” he replied smiling.

I smiled in return and said, “We all have to start somewhere, Jasper. You’re one of the lucky ones. I had to scrounge around for my plants and create my own recipe book.”

“Wait,” he said, eyeing me suspiciously, “You’re a chemist, too.”

“Yeah, but I’ve dealt in mostly creating various poisons and paralytics, not medicinals. Which I am not sharing with you, even if I could. My recipe book was blown up.”

“That sucks,” he pouted. “Well, at least I get to have some fun.”

“Sure. Sure. Go have fun,” I replied.

“While we wait, Nyx,” Clarke said, “Do you want to see the prisoners?”

“That was next on my agenda,” I replied, “If you could show me the way?”

She smiled and escorted me further into the bunker. We were met with two of Octavia’s pack members and I introduced myself to them. They moved aside and we entered the room. I was greeted warmly and some of them stepped back at getting a whiff of me with a sly grin. I could only smile and shrug.

I searched out Charlie and went over to him. He got up and bowed at me but I shooed him back down and sat beside him.

“None of that, Charlie,” I said as I looked around at everybody. “I’m just here to let y’all know some things.”

“What’s that, _Stokripa_ ,” he asked politely.

“We’re setting up a pack house for Octavia and her pack. They’ll now have someplace to stay together as they learn to fight and use their powers. My sister and I will be staying here helping them along with handling Forest Pack business.”

“Does that mean, you’ve rejoined the pack?”

“For the time being and I’m also acting as _de Pakstoka’s_ Second. Gustus has been removed permanently from the position.”

“Good. I’ve never liked the man or his family. Bunch of liars and thieves the lot of them.”

“Well, they won’t be around much longer to continue their reign. They’re being held for treason.”

“I am not surprised.”

I nodded, “Because my sister and I are staying here, you all finally get to go home.”

A loud cheer erupted and I had to wait a while before it died down.

Grinning, I said, “Yes, you really do get to go home. When you do, your job is to rest and recover. I know you probably haven’t been getting enough protein in your diets for awhile and you’re families are missing you terribly. So go home, be with your families and take your time getting back to full strength.”

“ _Stokripa_ ,” Charlie said bringing my attention back to him, “I would like to stay here, if it is okay? I no longer have a family to go home to.”

“I know, Charlie,” I said, putting an arm around his shoulders, “but I need you to go home. Let your friends help you mourn your loss. Get better. It does get better, brother, but you can’t stay here to avoid everything else.”

He nodded, tears sliding down his face, “I understand, it’s just so hard sometimes. I keep looking for her.”

“I still keep looking for my brother,” I said. “At least you get to mourn her properly.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, _Stokripa_. I did not mean to…”

“I know, Charlie. We all have our crosses to bear. I mourned for him when I stopped mourning for myself.”

He nodded, “I am glad you had that chance, _Stokripa_. I am also glad that it is your family that is helping the Manassas pack.”

“You honor me, Charlie,” I said, smiling at him. “When they are done setting up the compound, one of us will come back and get ya’ll, okay?”

“Yes, _Stokripa_. Thank you for everything you’ve done for us.”

“It’s my honor, Charlie. We always look out for one another, no?”

He smiled and hugged me in a moment of familiarity. I got up and made my way back out into the hallway with everybody hugging me.

Clarke smiled at me when I finally made my escape and I smiled at her sheepishly.

“You certainly have a way with everyone, not just women,” she said as we headed back to medical.

“What you saw back there is the result of generations of work the Allistars have done for the pack,” I replied.

“Has your family always been the Second?”

I nodded, “And the Devereuxs have always been _de Pakstoka_.”

“Why?”

“I don’t really know. When I used to ask Mother about it, she always said that we were chosen specifically for those roles. That our families complimented each other in a way that promoted balance.”

“Will it be the same for our pack?”

“That’s up to Octavia and Nate. Some of the packs here use strength to determine who becomes _Pakstoka_. Some are elected. Or some are chosen as the successor of the current _Pakstoka_.”

“Everyday there is so much that I realize that we need to learn. I almost feel like we never will,” she said shaking her head.

I brought her into a side hug and said, “That’s why we’re helping. It’s a lot to learn. It’s hard for us to understand exactly how hard this is for you and your people, Clarke. We grew up in this world and you’ve been thrown into the deep end without knowing how to swim.”

She chuckled as she wrapped an arm around my waist, “We don’t even know how to do that either.”

“Then we’ll show you how to do that, too.”

We walked into the healer’s office, arm in arm, and found him monitoring brain scans. Clarke let go and walked over to him and I followed more slowly as I took the scans in.

“How’s it working, Jackson,” she asked the healer, Jackson.

“It’s working just like the three she showed us,” he answered and turned to me. “Are your humans still recovering?”

“Sure. Would you like to see for yourself,” I replied walking up to a monitor with a keyboard attached.

“Yes, please.”

I typed in the command Ben had taught me and brought up a live feed of their brain scans. All three were doing exceptionally well and I was relieved that it was really working.

“I have my friend Scarlett taking care of them. When we’re all settled I have a line set up so that the two of you can keep in contact. She’s a healer that works exclusively on humans.”

“Thank you, Nyx,” he replied and then turned back to Clarke, “We’ve just injected the serum into the Council Members, Clarke. Your mom got the first injection.”

“Thank you, Jackson,” she said, tears glistening. “That means a lot to me.”

He squeezed her shoulder and I immediately regretted that this hadn’t happened sooner. 

“I’m sorry, Clarke,” I said apologetically, “I didn’t know.”

She wiped at her face and giving me a weak smile, replied, “Thank you and I wouldn’t expect you to know.”

“But, still.”

She smiled more genuinely and hugged me. I hugged her tighter and kissed the top of her head.

“Wanna go check and see how the compound is coming? You’ll get to see how we use our powers,” I asked her wanting to cheer her up.

Her smile widened and she nodded enthusiastically, “You have no idea. Let’s go.”

We waved goodbye and we were on our way.

When we entered the front gate, the place was abuzz with activity. When Octavia saw us, she came running and skidded to a halt in front of us, making me laugh.

She bent over to catch her breath and gasped out, “Clarke, you would not believe what is happening in there. You have got to check it out.”

She grabbed Clarke’s hand and ran off with her. I jogged to keep up as Octavia dragged Clarke from room to room. They stared wide eyed and open mouthed at all the magecraft that was going around them. Crumbling walls were being rebuilt and reinforced. Molding was run up the walls and ceilings. Chandeliers were hung. Floors were remade. Furniture was being moved by hands and minds. I’d never seen this myself, so I was as much awed as they were. We eventually made our way to the back area and it was very much indeed big enough to do a lot more then train. I smiled as a very wrong thought occurred to me and I shook my head to drag my mind away from going there, but it was tough, very, very tough. We found Sephy and Nate in deep conversation. As we neared, I heard Sephy mention something about accepting transfers.

“Sis, that doesn’t seem right. The process to accepting transfers is a lot more detailed than that.”

She looked over at me and said, “Maybe for accepting membership into the Forest Pack, but for the smaller packs, it’s more simpler. Usually, transfers are coming from other packs within the territory, not outside. Since they’re coming from other packs, the need for background information has already been checked and verified for the smaller pack. The focus turns to the personal reasons as to why they’re seeking transfer into the pack. Whether it’s a criminal act that removed them or like in our case, a need for a fresh start and away from the politics of the capital.”

I nodded in understanding, “Whereas, we look on their background information, behavior, reasons for seeking entrance, what powers they have and how strong they are, and the recommendation of the receiving pack leader’s review of the person.”

Nate looked at us in confusion and said, “So, there are differences a Second has to contend with based on the size of the pack.”

I nodded as I took a seat on the ground, “Most definitely. I haven’t been trained to work with smaller packs, Sephy has. She’s right that there’s a lot more politics involved, which means I have to coordinate a lot between security, housing, family disputes and so on. I’m literally the one you come to if you want to lodge a complaint, apply for a change in career, applying for a transfer. I’m the first stop before it goes to _de Pakstoka_ , who then decides if it requires bringing in the Council to make a decision. Lexa and I had it down to a science and rarely needed to call for a Council meeting. We were that intuned with one another, but we had an advantage. Our families have been working together ever since the Forest Pack established itself.”

“Which means that Octavia and I will encounter a lot of bumps in the road until we find our rhythm.”

“Yes,” Sephy replied. “According to Indra and mother, new packs have it the most difficult because it’s usually made up of pack members from different packs. Packs that sometimes operate differently. It’s about establishing an operation that works best for yours.”

“The Manassas pack is the smallest pack here in the territory,” I said. “I recommend that once it’s been registered with the Coalition you ask _de Pakstoka_ for families that are willing to transfer and members searching for a fresh start. Each pack has to perform a census every two years with the capital, who in turn sends the information to the Coalition, including any that have left the territory completely.”

“Why would we ask for transfers?”

“It’s to help ease the burden of your pack members,” Sephy explained. “In a small pack, each member often find themselves performing a lot of different duties. Taking in transfers lessens the burden. To give an example, when the chemist had to be executed, we needed an earth mage strong enough to finish the cure. Now to understand something else, someone who is not part of the pack or not under the permanent employ of the pack cannot do such duties because of pack secrets. We don’t want information to move beyond the territory. And because Nyx was not a pack member and not under permanent employment, Lexa needed her to come back to the pack in order to finish the cure. It’s also the same thing with her being Second now. The former Second and his family were arrested for treason, no other family has the training or the want to take up Second, Nyx was the obvious choice again. The Allistars have always served as Second, so she already had the training.”

“Damn, this is some complicated shit,” Nate said, shaking his head.

“Unfortunately, it’s nothing compared to what Octavia has to learn,” I said looking over at her.

She looked forlorn as she said, “But, I don’t have someone to teach me.”

“Another reason why Nyx is here. She can help with that too. Like she said, her and Lexa have gotten their jobs down to a science. She knows as much about leading a pack as she does about the inner workings. Sometimes, according to mother, it was hard to tell exactly which one was _de Pakstoka_ because they worked that well together.”

She immediately looked relieved and shot me a grateful smile. I looked back to the house and saw several men carrying trays over to us.

When they neared, the lead guy said, “ _Stokripa_ , we figured you would be hungry by now and the house is still being worked on, so we brought you your meal.”

“Thank you,” I replied as I stood up and took the tray from him. 

Nate and Sephy also took a tray and we sat them on the ground. They bowed and left. We uncovered the trays and found fresh meat, vegetables, fruit and several beverages.

“Oh my god, I have been craving fresh meat so bad lately,” Octavia said as she speared the largest one.

I laughed and said, “That’s natural. Wolves are carnivorous, which makes it important for us to ingest a healthy dose of meat. And since humans are omnivores, we also need the rest of the food groups. We’re a healthy bunch, but we still crave the sweets.”

I looked over at Clarke and asked, “How do you like your steaks cooked?”

“Um, medium well, I think,” she asked unclear of herself.

I took a steak and using my fire, cooked it perfectly to medium well and handed it to her on a plate. She smiled her thanks and took a bite of it. Her eyes closed in pleasure eliciting chuckles all around.

“This is pure heaven,” she said around a mouthful. “There are definitely perks to having a fire mage around.”

“Oh, yeah,” Sephy said with a grin. “Definitely have one around on those cold winter nights.”

I made a face and seared my meat the way I liked it causing Sephy to make a face.

“Ugh, I don’t understand why, Sis. Why do you have to ruin a perfectly good steak,” she moaned.

“Oh do not start with me, Persephone,” I replied. “I got enough of that last night.”

“Is that what started that ruckus?!”

I blushed and hid my face, “Um, yeah?”

She laughed, “Why am I not surprised.”

“Why? What happened last night,” Clarke asked genuinely curious and making me blush harder.

Sobering up, Sephy said, “Last night, Lexa, Dani, and Scarlett got on about how she has a habit of ruining meat like steak and fish. They ended up nearly destroying the kitchen and the downstairs before it turned to something else. No one could sleep last night. It’s why she smells.”

“I don’t smell anything,” Clarke asked confused.

Sephy laughed, “You wouldn’t. You’re a mage. Weres on the other hand can. All three of them marked her with their scent. It’s strong enough, that’ll it take days to get rid of it.”

“Wait, you mean,” Octavia said with wide eyes.

“Yes. They apparently wanted to make her last night in the capital very memorable and hard to forget.”

I peeked over at Clarke and saw that she was close to regret, so I glared at Sephy.

_Sis, you need to explain better. Look at Clarke._

Sephy looked at Clarke and realized she’d made a mistake in telling the story and quickly jumped to explain, “You have to remember that Forest Pack has a high sex drive as a whole. We tend to have multiple partners and orgies. Nyx was always popular with the girls. Don’t know what it is about her, but it is what it is. So, when she rejoined the pack and declined Lexa’s offer to reclaim, it’s become a free for all in regards to gaining Nyx’s attention. Until she decides to either claim or be claimed, she’s going to be pursued.”

“And the marking,” Octavia asked.

“That’s the hardest part for non-pack members and mages to work through. Marking is a very intimate act. it’s just short of claiming. It’s like when a dog pees on a tree, it’s establishing the tree as theirs. It does’t mean that other dogs won’t pee on the same tree, but it establishes a bit of dominance. In our case, it’s like calling dibs. They’re telling other pack members that if she ever decides that she’s open to being claimed, they have first crack at her. So, Dani and Scarlett have called dibs and Lexa did it just because. It doesn’t mean that she can’t sleep with other women, it’s just a reminder to Nyx that there are women that wouldn’t mind spending the rest of their lives with. It also doesn’t mean that Nyx has to choose only them, she could decide to claim someone else, even a non-pack member or a mage.”

Clarke looked up at Sephy with a hint of hope and Sephy just smiled.

“Damn, even your sex is complicated,” Nate said whistling.

Sephy laughed, “There are a great many things about the Forest Pack that are complicated. We just learn to roll with it.”

“Hey, wait a minute,” Octavia broke through, “Does that mean my pack will end up acting like the Forest Pack?”

Sephy looked at me and I shrugged, “We have no clue. We don’t even know why we have such a sex drive. Or why the Allistars and Devereuxs work so well together or chosen to become the leaders of the pack. It’s just the way it is. Now, in respects to you, we don’t know why suddenly Apex appeared out of your people. We theorize that the radiation slowly seeped into the bunker that it ended up taking nearly 60 years to show the evolution or mutations that are on the ground. I don’t think it necessarily means that you’ll become like the rest of the pack, though.”

“Is the urge controllable,” Octavia asked.

“Yes and no,” I replied. “We can control it up to a point. The urge to have sex on a regular basis doesn’t really start until we become sexually active. Once we become active, I think the most someone has gone without sex is like a month. The average is about every two or three weeks, but many of us have sex nearly every other day or daily. It depends on the person.”

“What happens if you go without it for too long?”

“We slowly descend into madness, or at least that’s what the stories tell us.”

“That is harsh,” Nate said. “Just because you decide not to have sex. What the hell happened to you guys?”

I shrugged, “Wish we knew.”

“Excuse me,” Clarke said, standing up. “I need to go check on my mom.”

Everyone looked up at her with confusion and I felt really bad about the situation. When she was halfway across the lawn, I got up and went after her.

“Hey,” I said when I neared and grabbed her arm. 

She stopped and looked at me and I could see the hurt in your eyes.

“I’m sorry about all that,” I said softly. “Sometimes I start to ramble.”

“It’s alright,” she said as she started walking away again. 

I joined her and looked over at her, “No, it’s not alright. We’re a blunt people, Clarke, and speaking with y’all, we tend to forget that this is all new to you. Look, I admit that I’ve slept with Lexa, Dani, and Scarlett lately. I’m not going to deny it. They’re familiar to me and I have been with them frequently. It really is something that I have limited control over.”

She turned to walk away, but I stopped her and pulled us into an alcove out of the way, “Clarke, look at me please.”

She did and I hesitantly cupped her face, “It doesn’t mean that I care for you any less. If I admit it, honestly to myself, I care about you more. That one night wasn’t enough for me. There is something truly wonderful about you that just draws me in and I want to drown in it. I want you, Clarke. I’ve wanted you since that night.”

Tears sprang in her eyes and she whispered, “I’ve wanted you, too, Nyx. I just never seem to have a chance to say it.”

I smiled, “Now’s your chance, Clarke. I’m really not going anywhere anytime soon. I’m yours if you’ll have me.”

She nodded and I leaned down to kiss her. She snaked her arms around my neck and pulled me down to her, deepening it. I put everything I’ve been wanting to say into our kiss. When we broke, she laid her head on my chest and I just held onto her.

“It was just so hard to hear, Nyx,” she said quietly. “That three women marked you and that you let it happen.”

I chuckled lightly, “I wish I could’ve prevented it, trust me, but they pretty much left me no choice. But, I’m here with you. I choose to be with you. You are all I need right now.”

“Thank you, but I really do want to check on my mom.”

I laughed, “Then we shall check on your mom, hmm?”

She looked up at me in surprise, “You’re coming with me?”

“Unless, you don’t want me to?”

“No, no. It’s just, I know you don’t like humans.”

“She is the mother of a gorgeous, loving, kind, woman who I’m hopelessly attracted to. Don’t you think the two of us should meet?”

She shook her head and smiled, “I would love to introduce you to my mom.”

“Then,” I said stepping back and holding out my arm, “Will you do me the honor of escorting you to your mother?”

She laughed and took my arm. I tucked her hand in close and we went to see her mother. We checked in with Jackson and took a peek at her scan. There was some improvement, but I could tell that there was a ways to go. When we entered the ward, Clarke guided me to the middle of the beds and went to a woman with long dirty blonde hair and a normally thin frame, but she looked like nothing more then a skeleton with skin. I cringed at seeing the damage the neurotoxin had done. I stayed standing as Clarke sat beside her on the bed. I laid a comforting hand on her shoulder and she looked up at me in gratitude.

“Mom,” Clarke said gently, “Mom, it’s me, Clarke.”

The woman stirred at Clarke’s voice and she turned to face us. I wanted to recoil when I saw the blank stare of the blind. I accidentally squeezed Clarke’s shoulder in anger and she hissed in pain. I immediately let go and whispered ‘sorry.’ She nodded and stroked her mom’s face.

“Clarke, is it really you,” she whispered, voice sounding cracked.

“Yeah, Mom. It’s me. How are you feeling?”

“Strangely, a little better.”

“That’s real good, Mom. You even sound better.”

“How?”

“The people whose territory we live in, found a cure. We’ve given it to you.”

“And it works?”

“Yes, Mom. They’ve already treated three of their own who had been exposed. One of them is doing real well. He’ll be completely cured in a month, we figure.”

“Thank god. We’ve lost so many, Clarke. So many…”

“I know, but we’re not going to lose any more, I promise.”

“Good, good. Tell me how everything is going?”

“We’re letting the prisoners go today. We traded them for the cure. Their people won’t be bothering us like that anymore. They’ve made overtures to end this peacefully.”

“You’ve done so well, Clarke. I’m proud of you. Your father would be proud of you too.”

“Thank you, Mom. I’m trying.”

“You’re taking care of yourself, though, right? It wouldn’t do well for you to get sick too.”

“I’m taking care of myself. My friends are making sure of it,” she laughed lightly.

“Bellamy?”

Clarke jumped slightly at the mention of his name and I remembered that they’d locked him up.

“He’s, he’s doing okay, Mom. So is everyone else.”

“You two need to look after each other. You’re stronger together.”

“Yes, Mom, I know.”

I leaned down and whispered, “I can help Bellamy, Clarke.”

She nodded and her Mom snapped her head in my direction and asked, “Clarke, is someone with you?”

“Yes, Mom. Her name is Nyx. She’s here to oversee the cure and help us understand what’s going on. She’s one of the leaders of the people who own this land.”

I leaned down and laid a hand on hers. Without planning on it, my healing kicked in and sent a wave of power into her. She gasped and gripped my own. I didn’t try to pull away until I felt the power withdraw back inside.

“Sorry about that,” I apologized and I looked at her face and saw that her eyes had gotten clearer.

“What was that,” she whispered.

“Um, something that seems to have helped. How’s your eyesight?”

“I can see light now,” she said astonished. “I’ve haven’t seen light in months.”

“I know, ma’am, and I’m really sorry about that. My people don’t like it when there’s a sudden large group of people show up in the middle of our territory. The gas that was launched into your camp was a neurotoxin that attacks certain areas of the brain. It’s meant to hinder, but we never anticipated that it could do this. On behalf of my leader, I sincerely apologize.”

“Thank you, young lady,” she said sincerely. “Clarke called you Nyx. The Greek primordial Goddess of Night.”

I smiled, “Yes, ma’am. My parents had a thing about naming their children after the Greek Pantheon. My sister’s name is Persephone and my brother’s was Nereus.”

“Nereus,” Clarke mouthed to me, but I could only shrug.

“Was,” her mom asked me.

“Yes, ma’am. He was killed eight years ago.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. Time never really eases the pain, does it?”

“No, ma’am. Some days are easier than others. But you must be getting tired. We’ve kept you up long enough.”

“How thoughtful of you, Nyx. Take care of my daughter, will you?”

I smiled and said, “I will. You have my word.”

She smiled at me and closed her eyes. We waited a moment longer and then quietly left. When we left the ward, Clarke pulled me off to the side and kissed me. I returned the kiss, pulling her in. 

When we stopped, I asked, “What was that for?”

“For whatever it was you did in there.”

“I’ll be honest, it wasn’t a conscious effort on my part. As soon as I touched her, my healing power went straight into her. I just held on until it tapered off.”

“Do powers do that? Just randomly turn on?”

“Not that I’m aware of. But, I’ve never studied the history of our powers. So, it could be possible.”

“Whatever. Thank you for being there with me and doing that.”

“Clarke,” I said, tilting her chin so that she could look at me, “You don’t have to keep thanking me.”

“I know, but I want to.”

“Alright, if it makes you happy.”

“It does. You said that you could help me with Bellamy?”

“I can, but it’s up to you if you want to do it. I have enough telepathic ability that I can manipulate his mind and make him more agreeable to accepting that there are people with powers, so that he won’t freak out again and try to tell everyone.”

“Manipulate?”

“Yeah, it’s not a word I like to use, but that is what I’d be doing. I’d be taking these last few weeks that you’ve had him in the psych ward and make it seem like he really did have a mental breakdown because he got overwhelmed. And turn his mind to be weirded out by the powers, but not enough to betray his friends and sister.”

“Would there be any side affects?”

“No, what I put in there will seem absolutely real, like it really happened. It’s why when I think about what happened eight years ago, I still see Ice Pack killing my people even after finding out my mind was manipulated into seeing it.”

“It seems so invasive, intimate, and personal. I don’t know.”

“It is all of those things, I’m not going to lie, but it would mean that you got your friend back. He’d still be the same person before he freaked the fuck out. He’ll just be more understanding and open.”

“Can I talk to Octavia about this?”

“Most definitely. He is her brother. She should most assuredly have a say in this. I’m just offering an alternative to keeping him locked up.”

“Okay, let’s head back to the compound.”

“Sure, they should actually be almost done by now.”

 

When we got back, we were just in time to watch them start packing everything up. Sephy came up and took us to the head of the moving crew.

“How’re we doing,” I asked the man.

“It’s done. All that’s left is to set up the wards. We’ll do the initial set up and key the five of you into the ward and you can add everyone else as they get here.”

“Sounds good,” I replied. “When everyone’s out, we’ll do it.”

Fifteen minutes later, everyone was cleared out and the five of us were standing at the front gates with the mages that would set up the ward.

“Why so many mages,” Clarke asked.

“We’re setting up different layers of wards to prevent the possible ways someone might try to break through. The most common powers are the elements, earth, air, fire, and water. Then the next layer will be for the second most common and then the third and forth. The fifth layer is meant to repel several powers at once. To lock and unlock the wards, is like using a biometric scanner, but instead of reading handprints, it reads our specific signatures. Which in turn gives us access. Each person with a power gives off a different signature, like a fingerprint,” I explained.

“It’s ready for you,” one of the mages called out.

I nodded and brought Clarke up with me. I held her hand until I felt the slight push back that meant that we were touching the ward.

I took my hand away and said, “Okay, you just need to repeat these words; _Ai meika, de klika_.”

She did and her eyes widened at the feeling and she took her hand away and looked at it. I stepped up and did the same thing, then Octavia, Nate, and lastly Sephy. Once that was done, the mages finished the ward and Nate and Sephy left to get the prisoners.

“So, what exactly did we just say,” Octavia asked curiously.

“My hand, the key,” I supplied the translation. “All you have to do now is place your hand on the ward, that slight push, and it will unlock for you. The words are what sets it up.”

“So, how do we key in other people; the pack and mages?”

“Nearly exactly the same, but this time one of us has to touch the ward with the person who we’re keying in.”

“That’s incredible,” Clarke said. “So, we can place these wards anywhere.”

“Yes. Anywhere you want to keep people out of, like the Council Room or areas that you want to restrict to only certain people.”

“Wow, thank you so much, Nyx. This is all incredible,” Octavia said and gave me a hug.

“You’re welcome. We want to give you as much as a foothold in this place as possible. This is just the first step. Um, Clarke, I see the prisoners making their way here, why don’t you have that chat with Octavia about what we discussed.”

“Now? But,” she said.

“Hey, that way it’ll give you both something to really think about. Then just let me know what you decide,” I said before I took off towards my pack members.

Meeting up with them, we walked up to the waiting transports. They hurried their steps, but I noticed three or four lagging behind and I dropped back to them.

“What’s going on, Charlie,” I asked.

“Well, you see the four of us have been talking and I know you said we all need to go home to rest and recover, but we’d honestly like to stay,” he replied.

“Are we talking temporary or permanently?”

The looked at one another and Charlie replied, “Permanently. We’d like to transfer to the Manassas Pack. Octavia is a good pack leader, but she still has a lot to learn. We know that you and your sister are here to help, but eventually you will leave. We’d like to make sure that she has someone with more experience helping her through this.”

“That’s kind of you,” I replied thinking. “Right now, I can’t let you stay here even temporarily any longer then you have. But, I think once the dust has settled, de Pakstoka would accept the transfer requests. We want this place to thrive and one way is to bring pack members from other packs here, but we have to be selective in doing so. The four of you have lived here, you’re comfortable with Octavia and she’s comfortable around you. You’ll probably be a tremendous asset to her, but like I said nothing can be done until this is all over. Okay?”

“Yes, ,” Charlie said inclining his head. “We’ll go home, but I can bet you that as soon as we receive the all clear, our applications will be in your hand immediately.”

I chuckled, “Fair enough, Charlie. Fair enough. Stay safe, my friends.”

I watched as they boarded and drove out of sight before I turned to face what was going to become my home for the foreseeable future.

“Hey, Sis,” Sephy said, drawing my attention. “It’d be a good time to claim our rooms, don’t you think?”

“Only if Nate and Octavia have already. You know they get first dibs.”

She laughed and grabbed my hand pulling me inside, “They’re already in there picking their rooms. So, come on.”

I rolled my eyes as we entered and jogged up the steps. I found a room to my liking on the third floor with a balcony overlooking the back. I ran back downstairs and grabbed my stuff and was unpacking when Clarke and Octavia found me.

I looked up from my bag and straightened when I saw their faces, “You’ve made a decision already.”

“Yes,” Octavia said as she sat on the end of my bed. “Can you explain to me exactly what it is you’re going to be doing?”

“Okay, I’ll try,” I said as I sat at the head and they turned to look at me. “There’s a part in our brains that stores our memories, long term and short term. Long term is like remembering the first time you sat down and had a family meal. Short term is more like remembering something you did ten minutes ago to say a month or so. That would be the area of the brain I’d be working on. Now, I can’t remove the memories completely, but I can manipulate how they’re viewed. Give him a different reason to believe why he’s there and not because he tried to run away from you. Then there’s the bit of behavioral manipulation that takes place in another part of the brain. I can modify it enough that makes him more open to the idea that Apex aren’t the freaks he fears, instead he’ll be more likely to accept you for you, powers and all.”

“Will it hurt?”

“No, I didn’t feel a thing when it was done to me. It was automatic, like flipping a switch. And what I give him won’t be anywhere near the image that bitch gave me nor the bloodthirsty compulsion. I’m giving him alternative facts to explain why he’s been in the psych ward. It’s a possibility that he may even have already been feeling the strain of all the pressure that was laid on all of you.”

“How long will it take?”

“I’m not a really strong telepath, so it’ll take me a little bit longer, but it will move faster if I already have a narrative laid out in my mind. You just tell me what it is you want him to remember instead and I’ll lay it there. I should mention that it’d probably be a good idea to have him sedated during this, if you want me to do this. Less likely of either one of us getting hurt.”

They nodded and I waited as they thought about it.

“I want my brother back, Nyx,” Octavia said sadly. “This hasn’t been the same without him. I want to share this with him and I want him to be a part of it.”

I nodded and said, “I understand that feeling. I won’t say I understand what it’s like to have a human for a brother, because it such a rare occurrence that no one really knows how those families deal with it.”

“So, this isn’t the first time that there’s been an Apex and human born in the same family,” Clarke asked.

“No, it’s not. Just extremely rare.”

“Okay,” Octavia said looking at me determinedly. “Do it, tonight. Like right now.”

“Alright,” I said and got up. “Lead the way, ladies.”

They took me to another section of the medical wing and I waited as they quietly talked with the staff. Two of them went into the room that apparently Bellamy had been staying in. There was a bit of a struggle and then the staff left the room. They nodded and we entered. I kneeled down and gently removed the straight jacket and rubbed his arms to give them more circulation. I sat down cross-legged and laid his head in my lap and they sat on either side of him.

“Okay, so what am I telling him,” I asked gently.

They looked at each other and then Clarke said, “Tell him that after the two wolves visited we all got into a heated argument about the wolves that we were holding. That Octavia and I argued again to just let the prisoners go. That since it was obvious that the wolves were important to your people and that after the visit it seemed more important to be lenient. That if we let them go, your leader wouldn’t send any more people to try and hurt us. He argued that if we let them go after the death of one of the wolves, there was no way that you wouldn’t retaliate since the wolves were obviously revered. The rest of the Council agreed with me and Octavia which he couldn’t stand and just freaked out, throwing things around, threatening us to the point that we had to restrain him and bring him down here because we thought he was endangering us and himself.”

“Okay, that’s good. I suspect that this wasn’t a new argument that you’ve had?”

They nodded.

“Got it,” I said as I laid my hands on either side of his head and closed my eyes.

I prayed to Mother Earth to guide and give me strength as I delved into his mind and searched for the specific memory that started it all. From there, I unthreaded and rethreaded the narrative from his point of view until i came to the point where the staff members came into this room. I felt it click into place and scanned over it to make sure it was believable. 

Next, I pulled myself to his behavior and created neural pathways that built heavily on his love of his sister and his need to protect her. In doing so, protecting his friends who were all part of their council. I slowly interjected that each had powers, showing him that it was as natural as breathing, but it was a sudden appearance when they surfaced and began interacting with the prisoners. I let him feel how freaked out he was when he saw Nate shoot fire from his hand and how Octavia put it out with her water. I then opened up a pathway that showed him yeah he was freaked out that they had powers and that he was disappointed in himself that he didn’t, but his love for his sister and his friends, that were now his family, overrode that fear. He was working on accepting the difference between himself and them, but knew that he was still needed, still useful. That they needed him to stay grounded. When that was in place, I thanked Mother Earth and backed slowly out of his mind, making sure that I left nothing of myself behind.

I opened my eyes slowly, to let them adjust to the light and breathed deeply and slowly as I came back fully to myself.

“It’s done,” I said softly as I stroked his head. 

“Did it work,” Octavia asked.

“I believe so, yes, but really we won’t know until he wakes up. Have the staff put him in a bed and lightly restrain his ankles and wrists. That way if he jars awake, he won’t hurt anyone or himself.”

“You’ve done this before, haven’t you,” Clarke asked.

“Yes, but only in highly traumatic experiences, like kidnappings, abuse cases, something that could prevent someone from moving forward. Or the more mundane ‘I was never here’ move.”

Octavia smiled and said, “So, you only use your powers for good.”

I smiled in return, “I try, but sometimes I’m not able to. It’s the job of an Enforcer. Sometimes you have to do bad in order to do the good things.”

She shook her head, “Just when I think I’ve got you all figured out, you say or do something that just completely wipes everything away.”

“Yep, that’s me in a nutshell. I cannot be adequately defined and categorized. Keeps people on their toes, but come on, let’s get the staff and get this guy into a real bed,” I said as I stood up and stretched. 

I helped both of them up and then the three of us made sure that he was well taken of and threatened within an inch of their lives to let Octavia know immediately when he woke up.

I swung an arm around Octavia’s shoulder and an arm around Clarke’s waist as we all trooped back to the compound. We found everyone gathered in the large dining room, a feast laid out. I pushed Octavia to the head of the table, Nate to her right and an open spot on her left that I sat Clarke in. I sat next to Clarke and Sephy sat opposite me. We all waited expectantly as Octavia looked at us wide-eyed.

_You need to say something, Octavia. A prayer of thanks or some such_ , I spoke to her.

Her head snapped in my direction when she heard my voice, but nodded subtly.

She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, she said, “This is a big change for all of us. Thanks to the Forest Pack, we now have a place to call our own. A place where we will be safe. A place to grow and learn. A home. Our home. And we welcome Nyx and Persephone Allistar to our home and our table. Welcome.”

“Thank you, _Pakstoka_ ,” I said as I inclined my head. “This is truly a momentous occasion. The first of many I hope.”

“I think that’s all I got,” she joked. “Let’s dig in.”

We passed the platters around as we grabbed what we wanted to eat. The mages’ meat was already cooked, so I couldn’t show off again. When the food was passed, Sephy and I bowed our head briefly in thanks to Mother Earth and started tucking the food away. Everyone enjoyed themselves and were comparing who had the better room. They also began to discuss among themselves what they were looking forward to learning. I smiled as I heard the discussions around me. I’d comment or answer a question when something was addressed to me. All in all it was a good family dinner. A first for them.

When we were done, several of the pack members took up the dishes and platters and took them into the kitchen to be cleaned. The rest of the pack that weren’t part of the inner circle left to get acquainted with their new home, leaving four werewolves and five mages at the table. 

“This place is unbelievable,” Raven said as she looked around the dining room.

“What you’re looking at is what this place looked like before the apocalypse. The mansion is more opulent by far, but this place has a more homier feel to it,” I said thoughtfully as I took in everything.

“It does feel like a home,” Octavia said bemusedly. “Who’d ever think we’d be living in such a place. Bell and I were hoping for a two bedroom house that we could call our own. Now, we have this huge ass place.”

“And who would’ve ever thought that our little Octavia would be a werewolf pack leader,” Jasper said, saluting her with his glass.

“Not me, for sure,” she laughed. “But really, Nyx, Sephy, thank you for this.”

Sephy laughed, “You’re welcome, but I bet you will change your tune when we start training you guys. The pack takes their training very seriously and we usually come away with bruises, knots, scratches, torn clothing, singed hair and many other things.”

“She’s right, Octavia,” I said. “We train hard, because when we do have to fight it really is a life or death situation. Our biggest threat will always be to our northern border, the Ice Pack. I’m not going to go into details, because I don’t want you worrying about it now. For now, we concentrate on developing everyone’s powers and learning how to fight. We won’t begin until the day after tomorrow, because I want y’all to get comfortable with this place, get settled. A night won’t do that.”

“Thank god,” Octavia said, relieved. “I was thinking you’d want to jump right in on the training. I was dreading the notion of waking up early and getting the crap kicked out of me.”

I laughed, “No, I’m not that cruel.”

Before anyone could say anything else, the communicator on my hip beeped. I looked at it and stood up, “Excuse me, but I’ve got to take this.”

Octavia nodded and I headed out of the room and into a quiet sitting room before I answered.

“ _Pakstoka_ ,” I said, concern creasing my brow, “Is everything alright?”

She laughed, “Everything’s fine, Nyx. Not everything we talk about is trouble.”

“Sorry. I guess it’s habit. So, did the pack members arrive safely?”

“They did and we sent them straight to medical to get them checked out. They’re thin, but healthy. Family members have been arriving since this afternoon, getting them and taking them home. Friends of Charlie’s came and got him. They’re going to make sure that he’s not left alone.”

“Good. I’m glad. We’ve got the compound set up for the Manassas Pack and they’re already settling in. The cure is working and the people are getting better.”

“That’s good to hear as well. Scarlett says that our humans are all out of the woods and are on the way to a full recovery. Have there been any issues with the humans there?”

“With the healthy ones? No. We set up a ward to keep them from coming this way while we worked on the compound. Today has been an easy day for everyone here.”

“The Council is still arguing about what they’re willing to give the humans when we finally get to the peace summit.”

“It’s not about what we’re willing to give. This is a matter of how do we keep everyone safe. We have the 22 Apex, an unknown number of adults that may or may not become Apex, and the 100 humans. What can we do to keep these people safe? We’ve already begun doing that by establishing a pack house here. It’s protected enough that the pack and mages will stay safe if anything bad happens. The adults are beginning to get better. Once the leaders become healthy enough…”

“Then we can begin explaining and making overtures of keeping everyone safe, Apex and humans alike,” she answered for me.

I smiled, “That’s it. These kids need help, real help. They need to be taught how to farm, how to raise livestock, get livestock, how to build homes, irrigation. I think we should really consider providing that tutelage, Lex. Teach them how to survive so that when it does come time for the peace summit, they have a chance to make this place a home.”

“Then that’s what I’ll bring up to the Council. What are we willing to provide them while their leaders to get better. Continue to drain our resources to keep them fed, or teach them how to feed themselves. I like that, Nyx. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. It’s what I’m here for.”

“God, I have missed you, Nyx.”

“I’ve missed you too, Lex.”

“I don’t want to ever lose you like that again.”

“I know, sweetheart. I know. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Do you promise?”

“I promise,” I said solemnly. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Good. Let me know how everything goes.”

“I will, Lexa. I’ll make it a habit to report to you nightly, okay?”

“Okay,” she said and I could hear her sniffle.

“Lexa, sweetheart, everything’s going to be okay. There’s no need for you to start crying.”

“I don’t know what’s come over me, Nyx. I feel like I did when I watched you leave for the northern border. Like I’ll never see you again.”

“Lex, this isn’t like going to war. This is a peace mission. The only fighting I’m expecting is in the training arena. Look, find Dani. Find Scarlett. Talk with them about how you feel. Let them comfort you. All you have to do is let them in.”

“Okay,” she whispered. “I love you.”

“I love you too. Go find them and I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Mm-hm, good night.”

“Good night.”

I sat down heavily on a chair, leaned back and closed my eyes. It was so weird hearing her like that. So unsure. My heart ached that I couldn’t give her what she needed right now. The only thing I could do was send her to Dani and Scarlett. They would help her, because I knew they felt it too. None of them wanted to lose me and I didn’t want to lose them.

I heard footsteps come in and up to me.

“Is everything okay,” Clarke asked quietly.

I opened my eyes and saw her leaning against the arm of the chair.

“Yeah. It’s Lexa. She’s been thinking more about the past. About what happened between the two of us. She’s beating herself up for listening to the wrong people. It has her worried about me, now that I’m back and we’ve made up. She’s afraid of losing me again.”

“You guys had a really tight relationship,” she said thoughtfully.

“You could say that. Our mother’s used to joke that when they were pregnant with us, that we were each other’s half. That together, we were the most powerful leader in the entire Coalition. Unstoppable. Unbeatable. And for awhile we were. Then it all changed in one night.”

“And now that you’re back, it appears to be falling back in place.”

“It would appear so.”

“She’s afraid to lose that again.”

“Yes.”

“You’re even more special then I thought, Nyx.”

“Why do you say that?”

She sat on my lap and wrapped an arm around my neck and said, “There’s something about you that just tells me that with you, I’ll always be safe. That no matter what happens or where our paths take us, when you’re here, I’ll be safe.”

“Hmm, maybe.”

She looked at me and smiled and said, “There’s no maybe about it, Nyx. I’m safe with you.”

With that she pulled me into a kiss and making me wrap my arms tight against her. The kiss turned into more and eventually, I led her to my room. 

The night had turned into so much more then I could have imagined and I was glad when I woke up with her in my arms and knowing that I wasn’t going to leave her like last time.

I was drowsily tracing my fingers along her body when she finally awoke. I smiled at her and kissed her.

She smiled and said, “Morning.”

“It is indeed morning, love. How did you sleep?”

“Better then I have since we left the bunker.”

“That long, huh?”

She rolled us until she was on top of me and kissed me again more thoroughly. I ran my nails along her back making her gasp in pleasure. I chuckled as I grasped her hips and held her tight as her lips traveled south making me gasp in return. 

It was another two, three hours before we headed downstairs. Breakfast was pretty much eat what you want, so I made eggs, pancakes and bacon. I handed Clarke a plate and taking one for myself, sat down at the breakfast nook. I poured some coffee and took a sip at it’s delicious flavor. She added cream and sugar to hers and we ate in companionable silence. Octavia came in around the time we were finishing up and told us that Bellamy was awake and asking for them.

“Do you want to come with us,” Clarke asked me.

“I’ll come if you want me there, but isn’t this really a matter between the three of you? I’m a stranger to him,” I replied.

“No, I want you to come,” Octavia said. “Let him see that you’re not some sociopathic killer.”

Clarke smiled, remembering something, “He did think it was highly suspicious that you had a luxurious hotel room with women’s clothing and allowed us to stay after one night of sex. He was bound and determined to believe that you had some ulterior motive that would wind up with us dead.”

I laughed and stood up, “Well, then hopefully I’ll be able to put him at ease then. I may be a killer. I don’t think I’m a sociopath and I am not going to kill you in your sleep. Too messy.”

They laughed and we went down to the psych ward. When we reached his room, I hung back as the girls entered. He was so happy to see them. I watched to make sure that what I had done yesterday was holding and was happy when he apologized for freaking out when Nate and Octavia used their powers for the first time.

“I’m so sorry, Octavia,” he said, tears streaming down his face. “I shouldn’t have reacted that way. It just really freaked me out.”

“It’s okay, big brother. It freaked us all out, too. But we’re getting a handle on it. All of us are, but we’re not using them in front of anybody else. We’re being careful not to frighten anyone.”

“That’s good. That’s smart,” he said, nodding his head.

“Clarke,” he asked, “do all of you have powers?”

“The ones on our Council do, but there have been a few others as well,” she answered carefully.

“How is it possible?”

“We don’t know, Bell. We haven’t been able to figure it out. We may never figure it out.”

He nodded, “Maybe it’s for the best. Where is everyone?”

“Um, we’re not sure actually. Monty and Raven are probably in their lab working on something. Jasper is probably doing the same. Monroe and Harper are in lockup because of the girl.”

“Girl, what girl,” he asked wide-eyed.

“Remember the wolf-not wolf that was killed,” Octavia asked gently.

“Yeah, yeah. I remember. She was a werewolf, right?”

“That’s right. Because Harper and Monroe were involved, we had to arrest them and lock them up with the others.”

“Okay. How are the adults doing? Did we lose anymore?”

“We did,” Clarke said sadly, “but we finally got a cure.”

“That’s great. How?”

“We got a line of communication opened up with the leader of the territory. She was willing to find a cure for us since it was their canister that caused it. They didn’t know that it would react like that to people without powers or those over the age of 30.”

“She didn’t ask for anything in return,” he asked warily.

“Just the return of her people. They went home yesterday when they gave us the cure.”

“Nothing else?”

“No. They’re actually helping us, Bell,” Octavia said. “They really don’t want anything bad to happen, it’s just that when we suddenly appeared out of the bunker we scared them.”

He nodded as he looked around the room, thinking and that’s when he finally saw me.

He narrowed his eyes and asked, “Who are you?”

“Bellamy, this is Nyx Allistar,” Clarke said inviting me closer.

I stepped closer, but stopped at the edge of his bed.

He looked at Clarke and said, “The Enforcer? The one who let us stay in her hotel room?”

“Yes.”

“Is it safe to have her here?”

I chuckled and said, “It’s safe. I’m actually de Pakstoka’s Second. I’m the one who finished the cure and brought it here.”

“The Garrison Commander made it seem like you weren’t allowed here, so how are you here?”

“It’s a long and complicated story, Bellamy. She did hire me on as an Enforcer and brought me here to end the situation, but something happened and it’s just easier to say that she brought me back into the pack and made me her Second again.”

“And you’re here because…”

“Because I’m the liaison between our people. I’m here to help train those that have powers so that they don’t accidentally hurt their own people. I’m also here to speak with your leaders once they are able to. de Pakstoka wishes to have a peace summit in order to figure out what to do about this situation. Outside this shield, the largest groups of humans is no larger then ten. Here, you have over a 100.”

“And the people like you, don’t like people like me.”

“I’m afraid so. Yes, we think of humans as less than desirables and we treat them bad. I’m not denying it. Some have even gone as far as owning them as slaves. We tell ourselves, it’s because we want to protect them, but it’s really about making sure they know that we’re the dominant species. Because of that whole mindset, having such a large population of humans in one place is risky and dangerous. Something we don’t want to escalate, so that’s why we’ve kept this all under wraps. We want to come up with a solution that will keep everyone safe and relatively happy.”

“So, you don’t want to kill all the humans?”

“God, no! That’s just reprehensible. Neither de Pakstoka or I would stand for it.”

“Why did you have all those women’s clothing in your hotel room?”

“Because I sleep around a lot,” I answered automatically.

“Was Clarke just a one night fling for you?”

“That was my intent when I went to the bar that night, but no, it’s a not a one night thing for me.”

He nodded, “Good.”

Clarke’s communicator beeped and we could hear Jackson’s voice come through, “Clarke, you and Nyx need to get over here now.”

“Why? What’s going on? Did something bad happen,” she replied worriedly.

“No, not bad. It’s actually good. Really good. Just get here.”

“Okay, we’re right down the hall, we’ll be there soon.”

“Sorry, Bellamy, but we’ve go to go.”

“Don’t worry,” Octavia said. “I’ll have the doctors check on him and see if he’s ready to leave.”

Clarke nodded and we ran to Jackson’s lab. We burst into the lab expecting to find just Jackson, but we found Clarke’s mom waiting with him.

I skidded to a stop just inside the door as Clarke rushed to her mother and hugged her tight. What I saw in front of me shouldn’t have been possible. There was no way, that someone as close to death as she had been should have recovered this much over night.

“Jackson,” I asked as I edged over to him. “What happened?”

“I’m not sure exactly,” he said, happily. “I came in after lunch to check on everybody and there Abby was, just sitting up and looking around.”

“Her brain scan?”

“Look for yourself,” he said and brought it up on screen.

The neurotoxin had been completely eradicated and where you would see powers, hers was glowing a bright and steady yellow. I looked at her in amazement.

“This should have happened two months from now, not overnight,” I said in wonder.

“That’s what your simulation projected. But something happened yesterday and we caught it on the scan. Look.”

He scrolled back the scans until he came to the footage he wanted to show me. He hit play and there was a sudden burst of light that lit the brain completely up. After a minute or two it slowly went away. There was a mild improvement that shouldn’t have happened that soon after receiving the serum and as he moved forward, the spread withdrew at an alarming rate until we came to the most current scan.

I stepped back in shock as it dawned on me. That quick unconscious use of my healing power had ignited the serum, accelerating it to an unimaginable speed.

I looked around, finding a scalpel, I grabbed it and then grabbed Jackson’s hand, “Sorry, Jackson,” and sliced his palm open.

“What the fuck,” he cried out trying to snatch his hand away, but I held firm.

I covered his hand with mine and called my healing up and was washed with relief when it responded. When I took my hand away, his palm was completely healed.

“What was that for,” Clarke demanded.

“I had to make sure,” I said. “I’m sorry, Jackson, but I had to be sure.”

“Be sure of what?”

“Remember when I touched your mother’s hand yesterday. I told you that my healing just decided, on it’s own, to go into her and we saw her eyes clear up enough to see light.”

“Yeah, I remember,” she said confused.

“Well, Jackson just showed me what happened on her brain scan when it happened. For whatever reason, my power decided to accelerate the cure and this is the result. I freaked and for a moment. I thought I lost the power. That’s why I sliced Jackson’s palm open.”

“Because, Abby is a healer,” Jackson said in awe.

“Yes. I’d bet my life on it.”

“How?”

“I really don’t know,” I said as I leaned against his desk.

“And Mom, you’re feeling okay, right,” Clarke asked her eyes going everywhere over her mom’s face.

“I feel perfectly fine,” she replied. “Actually, I feel great.”

“I wonder if it can be done again,” Jackson wondered aloud.

“What you think, if I touch someone else, it’ll happen again,” I asked incredulously.

He shrugged, “Maybe.”

“I’m not sure I want try on a maybe answer, Jackson.”

“It couldn’t hurt to try,” her mom said, “The worst that could happen is nothing will happen.”

“No, it’s not. The worst that could happen is that I could be drained dry and may not be able to stop until it kills me.”

She looked at me in surprise and said, “Oh.”

But then a niggling thought entered my head, “But then again, I could be wrong. The other council members were stricken too, right?”

“Yeah, Jaha and Kane,” Jackson answered.

“Take me to one of them,” I said, as I felt a pull that I didn’t recognize.

“Um, okay. Who?”

“Kane,” her mom said. “Take her to Kane.”

“Okay,” he said and grabbed a portable brain scanner and off we went, all four of us.

Kane looked like her mom had yesterday.

“You ready,” Jackson asked.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I responded and placed my hand on his.

The same thing happened again. My healing was pulled into him and I glanced at the brain scan. It flared bright and as I felt the pull lessen, so did the light until I could remove my hand. We crowded around the scan and watched as the toxin receded and heard Kane stir. We looked down in amazement when he opened his eyes.

They searched our faces and then focused on Clarke’s mom, “Abby,” he whispered.

Abby let out a cry of joy and sat by Kane. We watched her as her hand trembled as it stroked his face.

I stepped back and away from everyone as I tried to comprehend what had just happened.

Clarke saw me back up and quickly came over to me, “Are you okay?”

“I, I don’t know,” I said dumbfounded. “I don’t even feel a drain on my power. It’s like I was just a conduit or something.”

“Has this ever happened before?”

“No! Never! What the fuck?!”

“Hey, calm down, Nyx,” she said as she hugged me. 

Confusion seemed to engulf me and I closed my eyes and focused on Clarke holding me. Soothing me. I calmed and took some deep breaths.

“Better,” she asked as she felt me calm down.

“A bit,” I said. “It just doesn’t make any sense. None. I don’t know what just happened.”

“What made you change your mind and want to try again?”

“I just had this niggling feeling that I needed to try again and something pushed me towards your leaders.”

“Do you have that feeling anymore?”

I looked into myself and did indeed feel like I needed to do it again.

“Yes,” I whispered.

She looked over at the bed and called out, “Jackson, can you take us to Jaha.”

“Um, sure,” he said and started walking.

Clarke held onto me as we walked over to another bed. Jackson set up the scanner and with an even deeper breath, I touched the man’s hand. There was that sudden burst of power and then it receded. I nearly collapsed and Clarke quickly sat me in a chair. I leaned down with my head between my legs and fought off the sudden dizzy spell.

Clarke kneeled down beside me and asked, “Are you okay? This didn’t happen before.”

“I got real dizzy when it receded this time. I don’t think I can do it again. Three shots, that’s all I had.”

“Why do you think it happened?”

“Something want’s your leaders up and running again. Quickly.”

“Maybe, you should lie down?”

“Yeah, maybe you’re right,” I looked up at Jackson and said, “Did Kane or Jaha show any powers?”

“Kane did,” Jackson said. “He’s a werewolf and a wind mage.”

“And Jaha?”

“Human.”

“Holy shit,” I said as it suddenly came all together. “A council made up of the three types of groups here in this camp.”

“The perfect trio of leaders,” Clarke whispered.

“Uh-huh.”

“The solution we’ve been looking for, but why?”

“Mother Earth provided,” I whispered.

“What?”

“Mother Earth used me as a conduit to heal your three leaders, giving them the powers that are needed to helping solve this situation.”

“Can she do that?”

“She saved my life when I tried to kill myself. She helped Gaia speak to the pack members who were prisoners and your pack. She may have done even more, but I’m not sure.”

“What else could she have done?”

“I think she saved my life twice more. I nearly died when I was at the Ice Pack compound that I was contracted to destroy by the very same werewolf that got me to kill my people. Then I was attacked the first day I arrived here. The healer was surprised that I was still alive and semiconscious because I had already lost a lot of blood. This can’t all be a coincidence, can it?”

We heard someone come up and I looked up to see Abby approaching.

“Nyx, are you alright,” she asked.

“Heh, I think alright is a subjective word, right now,” I said as I continued to work through my dizziness. “I think I’ve just been subjected to being chosen by Mother Earth.”

“Mother Earth?”

I moaned as a wave of dizziness swept over me and Clarke explained, “Mother Earth is revered by the people. Apex, they call themselves, ourselves, worship her and She is a very active Goddess. Nyx believes the Mother Earth is using her for a greater purpose. It’s why the three of you received the rapid healing.”

“Mother Earth is real? I thought she was just a myth. A story to explain how the earth formed.”

“She’s real,” I said as the wave passed. “As real as wereanimals and mages. We were all once considered myth. Now, we’re the reality and in charge of the world.”

“Wereanimals? Mages?”

“Mom, we’ll explain later, I’ve got to get Nyx to a bed,” Clarke said as she helped me stand up.

I leaned heavy against her, sweating and now fighting nausea.

“Of course, I’m sorry.”

“Jackson should remove them to a separate area,” I said weakly.

“I’ll tell him. Do you want to lay down here or in your room?”

“I don’t think I can make it to my room.”

“Okay, let’s get you to a bed then.”


	23. Clarke

I got Nyx into a bed in a room by herself and gave her something to help with the nausea along with something to help her sleep. I watched her for a bit, making sure that she wasn’t about to vomit or fall out of the bed. When I was satisfied, I headed back to the ward.

I spotted Jackson and walked over to him, “Jackson, I think it would be best if we moved them to a separate area. That way we can keep a closer eye on them and make sure that their recovery is on par with my mother’s.”

He nodded, “I’ll have the staff set it up and move them.”

“Thank you,” I said and walked over to where mom was sitting by Kane.

“Did you get Nyx settled, honey,” Abby asked as I came up to her.

“Yes. I gave her something for the nausea and to help her sleep,” I replied as I took a seat on a nearby stool. “How’s Kane?”

“Kane is doing okay,” he replied weakly.

“Can you explain what’s going on, Clarke,” mom asked.

“It should really wait until Jaha can hear this, but I can answer a little bit. Nyx believes something happened to us, roughly 25 years ago. We’re assuming that radiation had leaked in and created mutations like it had 25 years after the apocalypse. The radiation created a new species, Apex, after the term apex predators. The new species was split in half. Wereanimals and mages. Humans have slowly been dying off since then. There aren’t that many left. That is until we came out of the bunker.”

“So, what was myth is no longer myth?”

“Right. Blew our minds when we found out about it. We realized that we were different when Octavia, Bellamy, and I traveled to Old Towne looking for help. Octavia and I were treated a lot more respectfully then Bellamy. They treated him like he was below dirt. One night, we were visited by two wolves, a large black wolf with black eyes and a pure white wolf that was smaller than the black one. Anyway, something happened and the prisoners started crying, so did Octavia, Miller, Harper, and Monroe. When they calmed down enough, they told us that the white one was a priestess of Mother Earth. Shortly after, Jasper called us down to the morgue and what we had thought was a wolf was actually a werewolf. We had accidentally killed a girl.”

“Was that the first time you knew you were really different?”

“Actually, no. When the wolf was brought down here to see if she would live through the shock treatment, the doctors did a complete body work up. Bones, nervous system, brain scan, MRI. They found anomalies. Her bones looked like they had been broken, healed, and then broken again, like her bone structure changed on a regular basis. Then came the brain scan. It showed two areas of the brain that aren’t usually active except in extremely rare cases before the apocalypse. One area of the brain is where it was theorized that developed telepathy. Another area was theorized to hold power, supernatural abilities. Both those areas showed activity. The area that showed power looked like it was building something and then crumbling only to do it again. It was amazing to watch.”

“So, what happened next?”

“Well, Octavia felt real bad about what had happened so she came down to keep the wolf company and was the one who was told about the anomalies. Bellamy and I came down to check on the wolf and talk about the new situation. Whenever Bellamy would talk, she would growl. But when Octavia told her to stop and explained that he was her brother, she settled down and stopped growling. That was when we realized that the way Bellamy was treated wasn’t just an isolated incident.

The next day we wanted to see if this was an isolated incident or if there was something more to theses people. Octavia convinced one of the prisoners to let us do a brain scan on him and another, healthier wolf. To show that the scan was harmless, Octavia went first. Her scan showed the same active areas as the dead wolf. Then the wolf and man showed them as well. So, we knew that whatever they were, Octavia was as well. Then the eight of us decided to have our brains scanned and four of us discovered that they had the telepathy and powers. The other four showed only powers. Bellamy didn’t show anything. While we were discussing what it meant, Miller all of a sudden shot fire out of his hand and lit a banner on fire and Octavia immediately doused it with water. The little images that we saw in that area indicated what our powers were. Monty and Raven are techno mages, Miller is a fire mage, Octavia is a water mage, Jasper is an earth mage, Harper is an air mage, and Monroe is a weak earth mage. Bellamy freaked out and had a mental breakdown and we had to hold him in the psych ward until he got better.”

“And when did you discover that some of you were werewolves?”

“That was because of Nyx. She visited us and explained that during the Harvest Moon, the prisoners and our people would be forced to shift into wolves. She advised us to remove all the shock collars and keep the humans away for the four hours they would be forced to run. You see, because of the full moon being so close to the Fall Equinox, werewolves build up a ton of energy to the point that they literally feel like their skin is crawling with thousands of ants. They can relieve some of it by shifting and running around a few hours, tranq’ing themselves or as Octavia discovered cuddling with one another. Weird, I know. It occurred to us that we might not be the only ones, so Monty and Raven built a brain scanner that our people walked through and it would beep whenever it came across the anomalies. We separated the werewolves and mages. Then did what Nyx advised. They ran the perimeter for four hours and found out that Octavia is the pack leader of our pack with Miller as her Second.”

“That’s how you discovered you were Apex.”

I nodded, “There are 13 werewolves, well 14 with Kane and now 10 mages including you.”

“So, why did Kane and I become Apex?”

“The neurotoxin that was launched into the camp is supposed to inhibit those parts of the brains on an Apex. Instead, it attacked those parts in those over the age of 30 and spread throughout the brain which led to the deaths. When Nyx finished the cure, she ran a computer simulation and then for some unknown reason ran it past the cure. She discovered that there was a 60-85% chance that the adults would become Apex. You’re the first two to become Apex, but now I’m thinking that it might not be a coincidence. Mother Earth decided that the three of you should represent the three groups that now live within Raven’s shield.”

“And the land we’re on?”

“Is ours by rights of occupation, but Manassas lies in the middle of the Forest Pack Territory. Their leader is called de Pakstoka, the Wolf. As far as I know, everyone that lives in the territory is a werewolf. Each wereanimal has their own territory. The mages tend to live closer to the coast.”

“So, what is Nyx’s role in all of this?”

“Nyx is _de Pakstoka’s_ Second. She’s the liaison. Her and her sister are here to help train the werewolves and teach us how to use our powers. On top of that she’s here to explain exactly what happened during the time we were in the bunker. The goal is to figure out what to do about the humans.”

“And the humans are the lowest on the totem pole.”

“Yes, and having this many humans in one place and in the middle of someone’s territory is dangerous.”

“We ended up creating a really complicated situation, didn’t we?”

I smiled wanly, “Unfortunately, yes.”

Jackson came up with a few staff members and it was time for them to move Kane and mom to their new rooms. I said good night and went back to Nyx’s room. I pulled up a chair and made myself as comfortable as I could, so that I could keep an eye on her.

A while later, there was a knock on the door and Octavia came in, carrying a food tray.

“Jackson told me what happened,” she said as she laid the tray on a table. “How’s she doing?”

“She’s sleeping peacefully. She really gave me a scare when she collapsed after healing Jaha,” I said as I lifted the cover from the food.

“I bet. Bellamy is going to spend another night here for observation. I’ve already let Sephy know what happened and that Nyx is down here.”

“Thank you, I was wondering if she was beginning to worry when she hadn’t seen or heard from her.”

“She was, she got really worried when she couldn’t reach out telepathically.”

“Is she coming down here?”

Octavia shook her head and grinned, “No, she knows you’re down here with her. Telepathy is so cool sometimes. I can have two conversations at the same time.”

I grinned back and replied, “You would think something like that is cool.”

“Yeah, well, I’m gonna head back to the compound. It’s dinner time and they are serious about not eating until I get there. It’s kinda annoying.”

“They’ll probably get out of that habit soon enough, especially once you start training.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me. Sephy has already said that just because Nyx is down does not mean that we can put off training for another day.”

I laughed, “Then you better go, get something to eat, and call it an early night. And thank you for the food.”

“No problem. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She left, quietly closing the door behind her and I ate my dinner.

I must have fallen asleep sometime later, because I woke up to find myself in the hospital bed with Nyx’s arm around me.

“What the…” I said when I realized where I was.

“I woke up and saw how uncomfortable you looked, so I brought you up here,” Nyx said sleepily behind me.

“Oh. How’re you feeling?”

“Better. Still sleepy. I’m going back to sleep. Don’t leave me, please.”

“I won’t,” I said and she pulled me in closer and we both fell back asleep.

 

We fully awoke when our internal clocks told us it was morning. I carefully got out of bed and stretched while Nyx watched me.

“God, you are beautiful,” she said, making me blush.

“Oh hush,” I said as I walked back over and gave her a kiss. “Rested?”

“Mm-hm.”

“Good. We should probably shower and change.”

She sighed dramatically, but got up and said, “Fine. You’ve been wearing those clothes for two days anyways.”

I laughed and tugged her out of the room. I lead her to my room in the bunker and we kissed before I went in to shower.

When I emerged, I went to check on mom. I found her speaking animatedly with Kane and Jaha.

“Well, I’m relieved to see you all up and nearly about again,” I said as I gave Mom a hug.

“We are, too,” Kane replied. “Is your friend Nyx, okay?”

“She is,” I replied. “She’s back at the compound cleaning up. It took a lot more out of her then we thought.”

“Compound,” Jaha asked.

“Yes, it’s really the Manassas Pack House, but it’s just easier to say compound. It’s where the pack lives.”

“I see,” he said thoughtfully. “How are our people doing?”

“They’re doing as well as you would expect. We still don’t travel outside the shield. de Pakstoka was kind enough to send fresh meat and produce yesterday when Nyx arrived to set up the compound. Which is great since it’s past harvest season and we were only able to get last minute crops going. We still don’t have enough food to last us through the winter, though.”

“Do you think _de Pakstoka_ will be willing to help us out in that regards,” Kane asked.

“Possibly,” I said thinking. “I’d have to speak with Nyx about it.”

“Why is that,” Jaha asked.

“She’s _de Pakstoka’s_ Second,” I explained. “Um, the next person in charge. She typically has a lot of duties when she’s in the capital. Basically, she’s the one that makes sure that the day to day operations run smoothly so that de Pakstoka can focus on more important matters.”

“If she’s that important, why is she here?”

“She’s the liaison between us and the Forest Pack. She’s here to help train our pack and the mages in how to use our powers. Most importantly she’s here to speak with the three of you. Explain what has happened in the last 83 years and how the world works now. It’s nothing like the way it was.”

“I want to speak with this Nyx,” Jaha demanded.

I didn’t take to kindly to his tone, but answered nonetheless, “You will. Like I just said, she wants to explain what’s happened and what’s going on. You’re still recovering, Jaha. Give us time to set up a Council meeting, so that we’re all informed, not just you. You’re no longer in charge here, Jaha.”

“How dare you,” he said angrily. “This Council is in charge here, girl. You and your council are no longer needed.”

“Jaha…,” Kane said, warning him.

Angrily, I bit out, “My council is in charge, Jaha. Humans no longer run things. Mages and Weres do. It would be in your best interest to learn that and accept it.”

“I will do no such thing!”

“Then you will find yourself forcibly removed and if you threaten any Apex or harm any of us, you will wish that you’d died from the neurotoxin,” Nyx said, her voice deadly, from the doorway.

I spun around as Nyx walked with purpose into the room, confident in her authority as she looked menacingly at Jaha.

“You have no authority…”

“I have all of the authority. You are in my territory and a guest here. Do not test my patience.”

“Now, see here,” he said as he started to get out of his bed, but made it no further before he was slammed against the wall and held there as Nyx walked up towards him.

His eyes widened in fear as Mom and Kane looked on in shock at her display of power. I stood there mesmerized watching her, realizing why she commanded so much respect from her pack members.

“The time of humans has passed,” she said deadly quiet. “If you wish for the others in this camp to continue to flourish and live, I suggest that you wrap your tiny, little mind around that fact. I will not hesitate to kill every last one of you if I get a hint that the Manassas Apex are in trouble from humans. This is my only warning. Take heed.”

He suddenly dropped and cowered against the wall.

She looked at me, her face softening a little and said, “Clarke, if this man is the leader of the humans, I am afraid that I have no choice but to bring several squads to ensure the safety of your people.”

“What will happen to the humans,” Kane asked.

She sighed, “They will be quarantined to the bunker under heavy guard.”

“And Jaha?”

“Will be remanded into custody. Harper and Monroe will be here shortly to take him to his cell where he will be shackled and gagged.”

“Is this really necessary,” Abby asked.

“Do you wish to make sure the rest of you recover from the neurotoxin?”

“Yes, but you wouldn’t…”

“I would not, but he may certainly try.”

“Nyx, this isn’t what we wanted,” I said quietly as I came to stand by her and looked down at Jaha still cowering.

“I know, but he has just proven why we are leery of your humans. If this man is the example of your humans and after they thought it was funny to shock Jessamine in wolf form, then they are a threat and will be treated as such until I can be convinced and proven otherwise,” she said gently.

“It’s been less then an hour and our goal is already threatened. Why did Mother Earth allow this man to be saved?”

“Because we needed a human to understand just what kind of world we live in. He has just gotten a taste of the new reality. It’s up to him to realize that there is a reason why humans are now a subspecies.”

There was a knock at the door and I turned to see Octavia, Nate, Harper and Monroe enter.

“Nyx,” Octavia said.

Without taking her eyes off of Jaha, she replied, “This human here is a threat to your pack and the mages. He is to be taken into custody, shackled and gagged. He will only come out, under guard, to attend our council meetings. Harper and Monroe will stand guard over his cell. Once that is done, convene a council meeting. We now have much to discuss.”

“You heard her,” Octavia said.

Harper and Monroe edged around us and hauled Jaha to his feet. Nyx stepped up to them and holding out her hand over his, created shackles for his wrists and his ankles and then stepped out of the way. We watched dispassionately as he was taken away.

“I’ll go convene the council,” Nate said and took off.

“What just happened,” Octavia asked.

“I came in here to check on how they were recovering,” I started. “Jaha started demanding to speak with Nyx. I told him that he would have his chance. He didn’t take to kindly being informed that he was no longer in charge. Nyx came in as he started to threaten me.”

“What happens now?”

“I will explain at the meeting,” Nyx said and turning to mom and Kane, “I know that you have barely recovered and you have just been witness to something you never expected to see. I am sorry for that, but the two of you will also be attending.”

Kane nodded numbly and Mom looked at me in fear.

“Clarke,” Nyx said to me, “why don’t you help them get ready?”

“Sure,” I said as I looked at her.

“Thank you,” she said and left, Octavia following her out the door.

Mom sat on the bed suddenly and whispered, “Dear god, what have we just walked into?”

I sat on the bed next to her and gave her a hug and said, “A completely alien world, Mom. Nyx did what she had to do. Her job is to make sure we stay safe from the humans.”

“Just how powerful is Nyx,” Kane asked.

I looked up at him and said, “I have no idea. But I now understand why she is Second. This is the first time I have ever seen her like this, displaying her authority and power.”

“Is she really going to bring soldiers here?”

“She already has,” I said quietly. “Come on, we’d better get the two of you ready for the council meeting.”


	24. Nyx

I paced the council room as I waited for everyone to arrive. I hated what I just did. This is not how I envisioned this going down. I wanted to keep this peaceful. I wanted to leave the humans alone as we came to an understanding, but one man changed all of it. I was no longer confident that this would end peacefully. 

_Lexa, did I do the right thing?_

_Yes. As unfortunate as it is._

_I hate this_.

_I know you do, sweetheart. You’ve never enjoyed this aspect of your duties. Neither do I. But we’ll get through this, just like always. I have faith in you. In us._

I bowed my head as I tried to take strength from her words, but I still felt weak.

_I’m afraid. I’m afraid that I’ll fail you again._

_What happened wasn’t because you failed. Or because you’re weak, Nyx. We were both manipulated. This isn’t about manipulation. This is about keeping our people safe. We do what we have to in order to keep our people safe._

_That’s what I thought I was doing that night. Keeping our people safe._

_Trust in Mother Earth, Nyx. Trust in yourself. This is just one obstacle. Not the end of the road._

_You’re right. Thank you._

_You’re welcome, love. I’m always here for you._

We broke contact and I looked up to find Sephy coming in the door. She came up to me and hugged me tight. I took comfort in the physical contact and gathered more strength from her.

“You are doing the right thing, Nyx,” she said as she looked up at me.

I crooked a smile, “That’s just what Lexa said.”

“Mother says the same.”

“Then it must be so,” I said with a smile.

“So, do I get the inside scoop?”

“No. Are the mages and pack secure in the compound?”

“Yes. Locked up tight and frightened.”

I frowned, “An unfortunate side effect, but it’s for their own safety.”

“I understand that, but they don’t.”

“They will soon enough.”

We watched silently as everyone started trickling in. Clarke with Kane and Abby came in last and shut the door behind them. Sephy went up and locked the ward and then took a seat. I walked and stood behind my own chair. They quieted down and looked at me expectantly.

“Just a little while ago there was an incident that has caused me to reevaluate the situation here. As you know, Abby, Kane, and Jaha were rushed through recovery. Abby and Kane each developed powers. Jaha did not. This was Mother Earth’s answer to coming up with a solution to get the three groups of people here in Manassas. The mages, which Abby represents, the pack, which Kane represents, and the humans, which Jaha represents. This morning Clarke went to see how they were doing and through the course of a conversation, Jaha did not take too kindly being told that what was his council no longer mattered. That he was no longer in charge. I walked into the room to find Jaha being defiant to Clarke’s authority as leader of this council. I made a judgement call and Jaha now resides in a cell. Because of the threat that he now represents and the accidental death of Jessamine Valdez at the hands of humans, I have had no choice but to order several squads to take over this camp and remove the humans to the bunker until such time as we can decide what to do with them.”

“You can’t just make a decision like that because of two isolated incidents,” Bellamy said. “No one else knows that you even exist.”

“I understand that, Bellamy, but I cannot afford that risk. Just like your people captured mine and held onto them because you feared retaliation if you let them go. de Pakstoka wanted to end that situation peacefully, so we did not retaliate. Can you assure me that this will not happen if your people found out about us? Or that they won’t try to kill us because we are vastly different from them because we have powers that could kill them if we put our minds to it? It is a long standing tradition in our history to either destroy what is different or try to oppress those that are different. Humans greatly outnumber us 4:1.”

He shook his head and replied, “No, I cannot make those assurances.”

“I would like to propose something since it is obvious from my brief encounter with him, that Jaha be removed from the old council permanently and have Bellamy take his place. Representing the humans for both councils.”

“Why would you propose such an idea?”

“Because you are more open to listening and seem willing to work on coming up with a solution. Am I wrong in believing this?”

“I just want our people to stay safe. Everyone.”

“Then I second the proposal,” Monty voiced.

“All in favor,” Clarke said.

It was a unanimous vote of “ayes.”

“Do you accept, Bellamy,” I asked.

“It looks like the decision has been made for me,” he said, surprised by everyone’s vote of confidence.

I smiled at him and replied, “We always have a choice, Bellamy. It’s what we do with those choices that matter.”

“Then, I accept.”

I took a seat while everyone pounded on the table until I called for quiet.

“Since we’re all here, we might as well talk about what happened on the surface after the apocalypse. Sephy, did you by chance bring the projector?”

She grinned, “I figured you might want to start.”

She tossed the projector onto the middle of the table and turned it on. It showed one of the last news videos of the apocalypse as it was happening.

“83 years ago, our world ended. It destroyed most of the world, killing everything that was caught out in the open. Humans hid in bunkers across the globe and waited it out. We estimate that after only 20 years, the earth was already beginning to heal, or at least, the East Coast of the United States did. Five years later, humans were back on the ground and beginning to rebuild society. What they didn’t know at the time was that a new species had also emerged. The Apex. As time moved along, more and more Apex were born and the humans began dying off. We don’t have a concrete number as to how many are left. Apex consider humans a subspecies. We recognize that we came from humans, but no longer associate ourselves with them. Because they are a subspecies, they are looked upon as lower than dirt and do not deserve any kind of respect or recognition. Bellamy can attest to our treatment of them.”

Sephy took up the thread and said, “Once Apex asserted control over the humans, it was pretty much game over for them. What Nyx has not reminded you is that the Apex are made up of two different species. Wereanimals and Mages. Along the East Coast, the animals we shift into are based on regions. To the north of us, lies Ice Pack made up of northern black bears. To the west, black bears; southwest are the felines, bobcats, panthers, and mountain lions; to the far west are the coyotes, directly south of us are the smaller predators like the foxes, or kitsune. To the east of us lies the area that is mostly occupied by the mages.”

“Each pack, as they are referred to loosely, are lead by one head pack with smaller packs near the borders to protect them,” I spoke up. “Because there are so many different groups, the Coalition was created. The governing force that watches over all the territories. They are made up of some of the strongest weres and mages. They have emissaries, ambassadors, councils that all report to the leaders of the Coalition. They are simply referred to as the Coalition. They are known to be tyrannical and dictators. Every pack tries to avoid bringing them within their boundaries, because of the simple fact that when they get involved, it’s usually bad for the packs. That’s why we are trying very hard to keep this within our borders.”

“So, what exactly is it that we are trying to find a solution to,” Kane asked.

“Pure and simple; the humans,” I answered. “Since the humans began dying off there hasn’t been this many humans in one place in over 50 years. We simply do not know how the Coalition will react. The absolutely worst thing that could happen is to call for genocide and kill all the humans here. The only protection that can be offered to the humans would be to own them as slaves. Not ideal for the humans, but it would keep them alive. Having such a large concentration of humans within our borders is dangerous for us. We could be seen as either a sanctuary for humans and get flooded by the ones remaining outside our territory. We could be seen as amassing a human army. None of this is good for the pack. As of right now, we recognize Octavia’s pack having ownership of Manassas, the humans belong to her pack.”

“There’s no way in hell that I’m okay with owning over a 100 humans,” Octavia spoke.

I smiled, “Neither are we. Your pack is too small and too new. You have no infrastructure to even begin being able to control or handle that many humans. Not to mention, no one likes to be owned.”

“So, our biggest obstacle is to get our people, the humans, to understand that 1) they no longer hold any merit in how the world is run and 2) to accept the leadership of the Apex,” Kane said thinking.

“And 3) just because they outnumber the pack and mages here, they cannot force us to give them control. If they do that, they are inciting a war within our borders. If they incite a war, the Coalition will get involved.”

“And all the humans will die regardless,” Bellamy said.

“Yes. The cold, hard truth, Bellamy, is that if they try and fight us, we will very easily kill every last one of them regardless if they are willing to accept the pack’s leadership or not. I don’t think anyone here is willing to use their powers in that way.”

“How long will we have to keep the humans in the bunker?”

“That’s up to this council to decide. Winter is nearly here and you just don’t have the food supplies needed to feed that many people. I can train the earth mages you have here now to accelerate the growth of crops, but you still have to contend with getting fresh protein and the pack needs fresh meat in their diet.”

“Which means work details set up to farm,” Kane said. “I take it the pack will be able to hunt for the meat?”

“Yes. Once my men are in place, the pack can start hunting. The surrounding packs can probably provide some meat, but the majority will have to come from the pack themselves.”

“How long until the rest of the adults will recover from the neurotoxin completely,” Abby asked.

“Anywhere between one to two months depending on how far along the neurotoxin had spread.”

“And we don’t know who will be Apex or human?”

“No. There’s no way to test for that.”

“When will your men be here,” Clarke asked.

“By morning. I can tell you that it is going to be ugly. Many of the humans will be beaten and bruised and angry at what is going on. The men will know not to use their powers, but I cannot guarantee that there won’t be any slip ups.”

 

We spent the rest of the day until dinner time hashing out the details. No one left the council meeting happy, but they all agreed that it had to be done. All of us headed to the compound, but I followed at a slower pace as I continued to run the plan over and over in my head, looking for possibilities of trouble or if there was a less harmful way of getting things done.

“You’re going to walk into something, if you keep thinking like that,” Clarke said as she came back around a corner.

I looked up at her and smiled wanly, “It’d serve me right if I did. I figured you’d already be inside with your Mom.”

“Kane’s with her,” she replied as she walked in step with me. “How’re you doing with all of this?”

I looked at her, “I’m not liking it. I feel like the bad guy, locking people up because one man threatened us. You know, I should be asking you that question. I know you never expected anything like this.”

She shook her head, “No, I didn’t. This is what we feared would happen after we took your men. It’s why Raven built the shield. Now, I have to lock up my own people.”

I smirked, “Neither one of us asked for this and yet here we are.”

“Here we are. How are we going to convince a 100 people that we are doing this for their own good?”

“I don’t know. This is absolutely new territory. I’m making this up as we go along.”

“You know, you’re not the only one in this. All of us are.”

“True. There’s just so much riding on this. A 100 lives hang in the balance.”

“With winter coming, we don’t have a lot of time,” she said quietly.

“No, we don’t,” I replied. “This sucks.”

She laughed, “It most certainly does. We’ll figure it out.”

We had neared the gate and I stopped us in the shadow of the wall and pulling her close to me, I said, “Thank you for being understanding about all of this.”

“You are what you are, Nyx. I’ve learned that you think long and hard before you make decisions like this. I know that your heart lies heavy when you have to put lives at risk. Even if it’s the human’s lives that are at risk. You’re a good woman.”

I leaned down and kissed her sweetly and took our moment in the shadows hidden from the light. No one was really surprised to see us come in late, except for the new additions to our table. I saw Abby give Clarke a look, but didn’t say anything. Tonight was a somber affair. Octavia had already explained to the pack and the mages what was happening which was a big moment for her. Bellamy kept looking at me as if he seemed to be trying to figure something out, but I ignored him. Sephy and Miller were having a silent conversation as Abby spoke with Jackson and Kane just took everything in. 

After dinner had been cleared away, everyone called it an early night and went to their rooms. I watched as Sephy went off with Octavia and Nate, Abby took Clarke to the side, and both Kane and Bellamy went off and did their own thing. I poured myself some whiskey and wandered into the back area and watched as the moon rose.

“Ms. Allistar,” a voice called from behind me.

I turned my head and saw Kane approaching me and I said, “Nyx is fine, Kane.”

“Then please call me Marcus,” he said as he came to stand by me.

“Very well, Marcus. What can I do for you?”

“That display you put on early, when you stopped Jaha. What exactly was that?”

“Telekinesis. Being able to move things with your mind.”

“I see. The other power you used, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I’m a metal mage. I’m also a fire mage, earth mage and a healer.”

“Does everyone have as many powers as you do?”

I chuckled, “No. I’m the only one that does. What makes me even more rarer is that all of my powers are strong, including my telepathy.”

“Why aren’t you part of the Coalition if you’re this powerful?”

“Quite simply because I’m too dangerous to keep alive if the Coalition ever found out. So, to them, I’m only a fire mage werewolf and I intend to keep it that way.”

“I can understand that. Can I ask you another question?”

“Go ahead.”

“Can you tell me about pack life?”

“Smart question. Packs are families. We each have our role to play and we look after one another. When someone dies, the entire pack mourns the loss. If there is a birth, they rejoice. If someone is sick or injured, they take care of them. And on and on. In a werewolf pack, the leadership is held by two people, Pakstoka and the Second. They’re the ones that make the laws, guidelines, handle punishments, settle disputes. Typical leadership duties. The Second handles the more mundane. The families fall into typically four tiers. The first tiered are made up of the leaders’ families, advisors, council members. Second tiered are your specialists, craftsman. Third and fourth tiered are your grunt workers, the ones that work the fields, patrol the borders, things like that. Usually, it’s because they have the weaker powers. Though third tiered get the better choice of jobs than fourth tiered.”

“How is the leadership chosen in the packs?”

“In the head pack, de Pakstoka and Second are hereditary. The Devereuxs and Allistars. It’s been that way since the pack was first formed. The leaders in the other packs all use different ways to be chosen. Election, survival of the fittest, chosen successor, and hereditary.”

“And my pack, I guess you’d call it?”

I nodded, “The Manassas Pack. This is a new pack, so the infrastructure hasn’t been built yet. It’s up to Octavia and Miller to figure out the laws, guidelines, etc. and how they want to pass on the leadership.”

“Where do I fall in this pack?”

“I’d say that based on what comes off of you, you’re role is directly under Miller.”

“What comes off me?”

“Tell me something, when you approached me, what was your gut reaction?”

“That I needed to be respectful and mindful of what I did or said. That you’re dangerous and not to be trifled with.”

“And when you neared Octavia?”

“That she was to obeyed, respected, feared, and some other things that I’m not sure how to express.”

“Your life is hers. You have enough clout that if she gets angry or something along those lines you’re not going to completely cower and offer your throat to her, like most of the pack. That’s how you know who the leaders are. We give off an aura of dominance.”

“You give more than an aura of dominance, Nyx. You give off power, but it’s like halved,” Kane said in bewilderment.

I grinned toothily, “That is because I am one half of a whole, Marcus. The other half of the power is de Pakstoka, Lexa Devereux. It’s why we are the head of the Forest Pack.”

“How do we use our powers?”

“It’s a matter of will and intention. The power comes from inside you. It’s not a bottomless pit, so you have to know your limitations. You’re a wind mage, so it’s a bit harder to notice out here when you use it. You think about what you want to do then place your will behind it and there it is.”

“Is there…,”

“There you are,” Clarke interrupted as she came through the doors. “I’ve been looking for you.”

I smiled automatically as she walked up. She slid an arm around me and kissed me rather forcefully, making me frown.

“Is everything okay,” I asked her.

“Couldn’t be better,” she said as she looked at Kane. “Mom’s looking for you.”

He coughed and then said, “Then I’d better go see what she needs. Thank you for answering my questions, Nyx. It was very knowledgeable.”

“Your welcome,” I said and watched him walk away. When he was out of ear shot, I turned to Clarke and said, “Okay, what the hell was that about, Clarke?”

“Can’t I give you a kiss,” she asked sweetly, tracing the curve of my shoulder.

I stepped back from her and said, “You know you can, but you just forcibly kissed me.”

Her body completely deflated and she said, “I got cornered by mom and then by Bellamy. They both noticed that you and I were quite comfortable with one another.”

“Okay, so what?”

“Mom took me aside and started asking about us. How did we meet, how long have we been seeing one another, is it serious, was I sure it was a good idea to get involved with you. You know typical mother daughter dating questions. And I was okay with answering those, because you know, parents worry.”

“Then,” I prompted.

“Bellamy cornered me soon after. Really giving me the third degree about you. Reminding me that you sleep around. That I barely know you. That you’ve shown yourself to be very dangerous. You’re a werewolf, I’m a mage. He made it sound like I didn’t know any better. That I was just setting myself up to either get my heart broken or killed.”

“So, you got upset.”

She nodded, “Yeah, I got upset. And I guess I wanted to show them.”

“By forcing yourself on me? That’s kind of messed up, Clarke. I’m not someone you can play those kinds of games with.”

“I know and I’m sorry. I just, I don’t know,” she said and started crying.

I sighed and gathered her in my arms. I knew she didn’t mean the implication of what she did, but I wasn’t happy about it.

“Clarke, listen to me. You know I sleep around. It’s my nature, but the one thing I never do is force myself on anyone. Never. I don’t tolerate it when someone tries to do it to me. If you try this again, you’ll know what it’s like to receive a cold shoulder from me. Do you understand?”

She nodded and got herself under control, “I think the day has just gotten to me and I’m not thinking straight. I’d forgotten that Bellamy tends to act like that.”

“Overprotective?”

“Mm-hm. I’m sorry, Nyx. I really am. I shouldn’t have treated you like that.”

“You’re forgiven. Why don’t we go to bed. It’s late and tomorrow is going to be a bitch,” I said as I led her inside.

 

Breakfast was a mini planning session as we went over what was going to happen this morning. Clarke would call for a general assembly in front of the Town Hall where the humans would gather. Sephy and I would take command of the towers on either side of the gate, while Octavia and Miller stood at the foot of the gate keeping the guards away. Raven would drop the shield when the transports neared. The transports would come in and head straight to Town Hall where my men would disembark and hold the humans there until I arrived. After a brief explanation, they’d be escorted down into the bunker and placed under lock and key. The rest of the pack and mages would stay inside the compound.

That was the plan. Now we waited for the execution. The four of us headed into the garage and we started pulling out armor and weapons. We helped Octavia and Miller put on the armor and gave a quick run down on how to use the rifles. When I got word that they were thirty minutes out, I had Clarke sound for the General Assembly. We left, locking the ward, and headed to the gates.

Sephy and Miller took the left side as Octavia and I took the right. I ran up the stairs, taking two at the time. There were two humans standing guard and looked up at me in surprise when I topped the stairs.

“It’s time for you to leave,” I said as I pointed my rifle at them. “Leave your weapons.”

The held up their hands and slid their weapons to the ground. I grabbed the shackles I had on me and had them put them on. When I was sure that they were secure, I nudged them to the edge of the stairwell.

“Move. Now,” I said coldly.

They started down the stairs and I watched as they made their way.

_Two on your way, O._

Octavia looked up and watched as they descended.

_Have them._

I looked over at Sephy, _Good?_

_Clear._

_Miller?_

_In hand._

_Take them to the Town Hall._

_Copy that._

I watched as Octavia and Miller escorted the guards to the Town Hall to join the rest of the humans. When I couldn’t see them, I turned and faced the countryside.

_Four down, 96 to go_ , Sephy said.

_Do you remember how may guards they have patrolling the wall?_

_10._

I radioed Raven and said, “Gate’s secured.”

“Roger that,” she replied. “Shield is a go to come down on your word.”

“Copy.”

_Stokripa, we’re ten minutes out. Is the gate secure_ , a voice asked.

_Gate’s secure._

_Roger that, Stokripa._

Five minutes later, I saw the first truck coming over the ridge.

“Raven, first truck is on the ridge.”

“Copy that, two minutes and counting until the shield is down.”

_Two minutes until shield is down_ , I passed down to who was ever in the lead.

_Copy that, Stokripa. Orders?_

_Head straight to the Town Hall. Circle the trucks around the humans and disembark. Holding pattern until I get there. I need 20 from the last truck to get out at the gate, 10 to either side to bring in guards._

_Copy that._

When they crested the last ridge, I opened the gates and the shield came down. Sephy and I watched as they entered slowly and made their way down the main road. The last slowed down long enough for twenty men to jump down and spread out along the perimeter. I closed the gate and we headed to the Town Hall.

When we were a block away, we could hear the crowd yelling and trying to break free from my men. Glancing at the stairs leading up to the building, the council stood by watching. We hurried our steps and skirted around the trucks. The lead truck had stopped in front of the stairs and I jumped easily up onto it’s hood. I reached into the cab and grabbed the mic for it’s speaker.

I stood for a moment, looking out at the crowd and then loudly called out through the speaker, “Silence!”

The crowd quieted down, but I could still hear a low murmur of voices.

“By the authority of de Pakstoka of the Forest Pack, you have been found guilty of threatening the safety of the people of the Forest Pack. As such, you are to be taken back into the bunker and placed under house arrest. You will only leave that bunker during your work detail. You will remain in the bunker until de Pakstoka and your council come to terms. You fight, you die. You resist, you die. If you want to remain living, I suggest you go quietly into the bunker.”

The crowd went wild as I signaled the men to start moving them. 

_Warning shots._

I fired over the heads of the humans as did some of the men. That quickly got them back under control and they began moving towards the bunker. I jumped down when they started entering the bunker itself.

“That went a lot better than I expected,” I said as everyone neared.

“Threat of death and warning shots will do that,” Kane said as he got closer.

“Sometimes you have to play hardball to get things done,” I replied.

“This was more than hardball, Nyx.”

“You’re right, it was. This is about ensuring the safety of our people while trying to get these humans to understand that they are no longer in control.”

“And you expect them to just listen and agree.”

“No, I don’t. I expect them to value their lives more than attempting to take control of Manassas.”

“This is insane.”

“Look, I didn’t want this, but after what they have done because it was funny to them, then to have Jaha immediately demand that he be given control of the council because he won’t tolerate being considered a subspecies. I had no choice. I will always choose the safety of our people over the lives of some humans.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t deal with this now,” Abby said throwing up her arms. “I have to check on them and make sure they’re okay.”

“Fine. If that’s what you want to do, but if you use your powers or go in there without a detail, you are putting your life at extreme risk. Clarke just got you back, don’t do anything stupid.”

She stared at me in shock before she turned away and walked into the bunker.

I looked over at Jackson and saw the indecision on his face and said, “Jackson if you want to help her, go ahead. Just do me a favor and check on the recovering adults.”

He nodded and took off.

About twenty minutes later as we were discussing how to set up various schedules for work details and meal times, a voice called my attention.

“Well, if it isn’t _Stokripa_ ,” the voice said. “The prodigal daughter returns from the dead.”

I spun around and took an involuntary step backwards and said, “Lincoln, I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Or see me at all, right,” he said as he stopped a few feet from me. “You did leave me for dead at the border.”

“I didn’t know…”

“You left a lot of dead and dying that day. I should kill you, you know that right? I watched you massacre my entire family. Ripping their throats out and tossing them around like rag dolls.”

Fear coursed through me with with every word he said. This was the first time I’d heard anybody tell me what I did that day. I could only stand there numbly, staring at him.

Sephy stepped in front of me and said, “Leave her alone, Lincoln. I know damn well that Indra told you what really happened. Can you really lay the blame on someone who’s mind was altered to see only enemies killing everyone? She’s paid for what she did. She tried to kill herself because she knew that she deserved to die for what she did. Do you even know how hard it was for her to come back here? The guilt she carries with her. We lost a brother to the Ice Pack. We lost a lot of people to the Ice Pack. She may have been the one killing, but it was only because of the Ice Pack that she did.”

Lincoln looked surprised at her vehemence and said, “I understand that Persephone and I accept that she is not the one to truly be blamed. I’m just telling her that I remember what happened that day.”

“As if she needs those visuals, Lincoln. How dare you come here and speak to her in this way. In front of everyone, laying out the dirty laundry so that everyone can hear about her one moment of weakness.”

He looked around at everyone as they watched this exchange and bowed his head in regret, “I apologize, Stokripa, for speaking without thought. Seeing you brought those memories back ten fold. I humbly ask for your forgiveness.”

I couldn’t find the words to accept his apology or give one of my own, until I felt someone take my hand. I glanced over and saw that it was Clarke. She gave me an encouraging smile and I found my words.

“Ahem, Lincoln,” I said, my voice cracking, “I give my forgiveness. I hope that you can do the same. It breaks my heart knowing that I have caused you such pain. That I caused so much pain to those that lost loved ones that day. I live with that pain every day, Lincoln. I’m just trying to do better this time.”

“Thank you for your forgiveness. I give you the same. What are our orders?”

I closed my eyes briefly and focused on the present and said, “I need a two man detail sent to relieve two of the Manassas Pack who have been guarding a high value prisoner at the jail. Set up a rotation for the perimeter and the bunker. Then find housing for the men. For now, all we need is to keep the prisoners under control and working the fields to prepare for winter.”

He snapped to attention and inclined his head, “Considered it done. May I ask which way to the jail?”

“I’ll show you,” Octavia said.

He inclined his head and they walked away.

“I need some space. I suggest that the rest of you start drawing up schedules for the humans and figure out how to calm them down to get them to cooperate,” I said and headed back to the compound.


	25. Clarke

We watched as Nyx strode away, with her head down, towards the compound. I felt torn. I knew that I needed to help with the humans, but at the same time I wanted to run and comfort her. What that man had said was horrible and the look on her face when he spoke, the fear and anguish, it broke my heart.

“You should go after her,” Kane said quietly.

I looked up at him for a moment, nodded, and then took off after her. She was already in the compound’s garage when I caught up with her. I watched as she methodically put the armor and rifle away before I walked in.

“Nyx,” I asked cautiously.

“Now’s not a good time, Clarke,” she replied, refusing to turn around.

“I think now’s the perfect time,” I said as I came up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist.

She stiffened, but didn’t try to get away. Without releasing her, I walked around until we were eye to eye. She had tears running down her face and that anguish I had seen was even more prominent.

“Oh, baby,” I said and pulled her tight against me.

She broke down and started sobbing as she wrapped her arms around me and laid her head on my shoulder. I let her cry herself out, comforting her. When she was calming down, I led her to the hood of the buggy and we leaned against it.

“I jus-, he ju-,” she tried to say through her sniffling.

“Hey, hey, you don’t have to talk about it, okay,” I said gently. “He shouldn’t have done that. He had no right to. But you can’t let what one man says stop you.”

She nodded, “I know, but…”

“No. There are no but’s, Nyx. He knew that you were here. He knew that you were in charge. He came up to you with the intention of hurting you, even if he apologized for it. I know that you had no control over what you saw that day and you acted the way anyone would have acted. You wanted to save your men and your family. He doesn’t know what you saw. He can’t because it was meant only for you. Nyx, you’re more then that one day. Look at all the good that you did before that day. All the good you’ve done since. We’ve all made mistakes.”

“Not everyone’s mistakes cost the lives of dozens,” she whispered.

“Maybe not, but it was still a mistake. You’ve learned from it. I mean, you may not have realized exactly why you saw what you saw, but think about how you helped people by using the same technique. You told me that you’ve manipulated minds to help people move beyond traumatic events. I think that’s rather cool of you.”

She nodded.

“Look at me, Nyx,” I said gently. She refused, so I took her chin and turned her head to me and said, “I love you, Nyx. Regardless of what’s happened in your past. Lexa, Dani, and Scarlett love you. They know what happened and they haven’t turned away from you. They don’t despise you. Even your own sister doesn’t hate you, nor your mother. Those are the people that matter, not some jerk who only wanted to hurt you.”

She smirked at my name calling and I smiled a bit. I wiped the tears away from her face and leaned in, kissing her gently. Her arms wrapped around me tighter as she deepened the kiss.

She laid her forehead on mine and whispered, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, love.”

She cleared her throat and said reluctantly, “I guess we should be getting back.”

“We’ve got time. The council can handle the scheduling and Seph can take care of your men if the need arises. Let someone else take the burden for awhile, hmm?”

She nodded and I stood up, pulling her with me and said, “For once, let someone take care of you.”

Taking her into the house and up to the bedroom, I showed her that I didn’t care about what she’d done or why she did it. I just showed her how much I loved her and cared for her.

 

I woke sometime later and automatically reached over to where Nyx should have been, but I encountered empty space. Opening my eyes, I saw that she was only sitting up with her knees to her chest and staring out the windows. I took this moment to study the tattoos on her back. Taking center stage was a triskele done using a Celtic knot and in the center of it was a beautifully detailed head of a wolf. It looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite place it at the moment. Following her spine was an interwoven braid made up of a vine and fire, wrapped around a chain stopping just above her waist. On her left shoulder blade was an image of a woman with her back towards me, walking through a field of wheat with her hands brushing over the sheaves. On her right, a man stood on a rock, his arms spread wide as water split on either side of him. Her left hip was a phoenix rising above smoldering ashes. Her right was blank, but it was marred by what I could only guess was a wolf bite. Each tattoo was beautifully done with such great detail that they must have taken hours to do.

I felt my hand itch to draw her like this, the exposed vulnerability amidst the tempered power of who she was. She quite simply took my breath away and I could understand why Lexa claimed her. Why women wanted her. Why I wanted and loved her. And then she turned her head and smiled at me and time seemed to stop, to allow me to catch an even more amazing image of her.

She lay back down, stretching her full length as she faced me. Still smiling she gently removed my hair away from my face and like a feather, traced it with her fingers.

“Hey,” she said softly.

“Hey,” I returned with a smile. “What were you thinking about?”

“Oh, this and that. Nothing serious. And I was speaking with Lexa, letting her know how this morning went. Touching base with Seph. They’ve hashed out the schedules and guard rotations. Your mom and Jackson reported that there were only bumps and bruises and a couple of broken limbs.”

“Did you tell her about Lincoln?”

“No. There was no need thanks to you,” she said as she leaned over and kissed me, my mouth parting for her.

The kiss deepened and I rolled us until I was on top. Our bodies demanding one another and rejoiced as we came together.

 

When I woke up this time, I heard her slow beating heart against my ear, her arms holding me loosely, her softness very evident, and the peace she felt in this moment. I wanted to lay like this forever, never losing this moment. Feeling nothing but peace as if everything was alright in the world.

But everything was not all right in this world and our peace shattered as I felt a growl build in her chest. I had barely moved when she shot up and pinned me to the bed, straddling me as her hands wrapped around my throat. Panic struck as I tried to fight her off, but she was too strong. Her eyes were wild as she gave me a feral grin, growls escaping her throat. As her hands tightened around mine, my vision became tinged in black. My voice barely a whisper as I called out her name. Fear pushed my will to live and in a desperate move, I placed my hands against her chest and called my lightning.

She flew across the room and into the wall, crumpling down onto the floor. I rolled off the bed and landing on all fours, I struggled to get air into my lungs as tears streamed down my face. I couldn’t grasp what had just happened. Why had she suddenly snapped and attacked me. Watching her, I got up shakily and hesitantly made my way to our piles of clothes. Searching through them, I finally came across one of the communicators. I quickly backed away from Nyx and hid in a corner.

“Seph,” I croaked around the pain in my throat, “Persephone.”

“Clarke,” she answered, confusion in her throat. “What’s happened?”

“It’s Nyx. Something happened. Get my mom. Hurry, I don’t know how long she’ll stay knocked out.”

“I’m on it,” she said, panic in her voice. “Find someplace to hide and stay quiet. We’re on our way.”

I swallowed making my throat lance with pain as I desperately looked for someplace to hide. I looked behind me and the closet was right there. As quietly as I could, I opened the door and closed it behind me. I felt around me and couldn’t find anything to block the door, so I crawled into a back corner and hid myself under a pile of clothes.

I heard something stir in the bedroom and then the clicking of claws on the hardwood floor. I covered my mouth to try and stifle my breathing. I heard the furniture being moved and crashing against the walls. The glass breaking as something was thrown through them. I felt a scream in my chest, but I swallowed it down. I could hear her sniffing as she came closer to the closet, growls coming from her. I dug myself deeper into the pile as I waited, my heart beating furiously in my chest. I desperately wanted to know why no one was here yet and then I heard the noise I had been dreading, the door slowly opening. I curled myself tighter, squeezing my eyes tight, my breath coming in shallow gasps. She crept closer, sniffing and growling, as I prayed for her to not find me.

The clothes flew off of me suddenly and I screamed in terror as her jaws clamped around my leg. She started dragging me out of the closet and I reached for anything to stop her or pull myself away from her. My hands clamped down on the doorway as I screamed at her to let me go, but she only pulled harder as my fingers began losing their grip.

Just as I lost my grip, the door burst open and Seph rushed in and threw Nyx away from me, ripping my leg open, making me scream. I looked over and saw Nyx trying to move, but Seph was holding her down. Mom rushed in next, ran straight for me and pulled me out of the room.

“Jackson,” Seph yelled. “I can’t hold her down much longer, she’s too strong. You have to put her under, now!”

He ran into the room and I heard a yowl of pain and then silence. Mom had her hand over my leg and was in the process of healing it, when Seph emerged and leaned against the doorframe. When she had caught her breath, she made her way over and kneeled down beside me. She took my head and tilted it to look at my neck.

“Do you know what happened,” she asked, fear and worry in her eyes.

I shook my head because my throat was on fire.

“Here, let me,” Jackson said and Seph got out of the way so that he could heal my throat.

I sighed in relief as the pain in my throat and leg receded. I swallowed experimentally.

“She was asleep and suddenly I could feel a growl in her chest,” I said weakly. “Next thing I know, she had me pinned against the bed with her hands around my throat. I tried to fight her off, but I couldn’t, so I shocked her and threw her across the room. When she woke up, she came after me. Why would she do that?”

“She had a waking nightmare,” mom said as she sat down. “It can happen in soldiers who experience a traumatic event during conflict.”

“She was back at the northern border,” Seph said in horror and then angrily, “It was that bastard, Lincoln. If he hadn’t said anything, this would have never happened.”

“Wait a minute,” mom said, “we don’t know if that was the cause. It could have been something completely unrelated.”

Sephy shook her head, “You didn’t see her face when he told her what she’d done to his family. She actually feared that he was going to kill her. There was so much pain and horror on her face, Abby. It was so bad, that she couldn’t even stay to coordinate everything. That’s why Clarke was here. To help her from doing something stupid.”

One of the men came up the stairs and entered the room. Moments later, he had Nyx cradled in his arms.

“Can we still get into the psych ward,” Sephy asked.

“Yes,” Jackson answered.

“Good,” she said and turned to the man. “Take her there and pump the neurotoxin continuously into the room. It’s the only way to keep her from using her powers.”

He nodded and left.

“What happens if she’s exposed to the toxin for too long,” Abby asked.

“Her powers will remain permanently dormant,” Seph answered sadly. “She’ll be human.”

Octavia appeared with a duffel and said, “I was able to get into your room, Clarke. I’ve brought you some clothes and I’m setting up the bedroom that’s between mine and Nate’s. It’s the safest place I could think of that wasn’t in the bunker.”

“Thank you,” I whispered.

Sephy helped me stand and down the stairs to the room with everyone following us. She guided me to the bed and when I was sitting, everyone left except Mom. She sat down next to me and I turned to her, sobbing. She held and rocked me like she used to when I was little.

I must have cried myself to sleep because I woke up under the covers of the bed. My entire body ached and it was difficult to reach over to the nightstand to turn on the lamp there. Mom had left me something for the pain and a glass of water. I took the medicine and sank back into the bed.

There was a knock on the door and Sephy poked her head through.

“Can I come in,” she asked when she saw that I was awake.

“Sure,” I replied as I sat up and pulled the covers over me.

She came in and sat at the foot of the bed and asked, “How are you?”

“Like my body is just one big bruise,” I said with a weak chuckle.

She nodded, “I’m glad we got there in time. When you called, my heart froze in my chest.”

“I think she would have killed me if you hadn’t gotten there,” I said quietly.

“It would have destroyed her if she had. When she realizes what she almost did, I don’t know what she’ll do. I’m scared for her.”

“So am I. It was like she wasn’t even there, you know. All I saw was rage.”

“I’m sorry that it happened to you, Clarke. What’s messed up is that legally, Lincoln didn’t break any laws so he can’t be punished,” she said as she looked at her knuckles that I now noticed were bruised and bloodied. “So, instead I showed him what it meant to mess with an Allistar.”

I could hear how angry and bitter she was and I didn’t want to press, but I had to know, “How is Nyx?”

“I had to turn off the neurotoxin and pump in sleeping gas. I still can’t reach her. She’s locked in whatever it is she’s created for herself. We’re hoping that when she wakes up, she’ll have enough control to shift back and sane enough not to use her powers to try and escape.”

“God, I can’t even imagine what she must be going through.”

“None of us can. Not even our veterans have come close to experiencing what she’s been through. I had to tell Lexa what happened. She’s sending Indra and Dani in the morning to take over while Nyx recovers, if she recovers.”

“Seph, we have to believe that she will get better, especially for her sake,” I said as I scooted closer to her. “She doesn’t deserve this and we have to keep telling her that she’s forgiven and that this wasn’t her fault until she believes it.”

“I know. It’s just real hard right now. I grew up without her, but what I remember about her…she was the best sister I could have ever asked for even though there’s such a huge age difference. It never bothered her when I would tag along with her and Lexa. She always had time for me. She made time for me. And now I see her like this and I wonder if she’ll ever be the sister I remember.”

“She’s still in there, Seph. What happened on the northern border changed her, but she still fought back to find herself again. I think she’s stronger now than she was, just from living through it and pushing past it. Because of that, she made it her life’s mission to continue to help those in need. With our help, she can get through this too. I’m sure of it.”

“For all our sakes, I hope so. I talked to Ben and Scarlett about what happened. They pretty much told me the same thing. In the beginning, she used to wake up from these nightmares just screaming and it would take them hours to calm her down. She had to take medication to help control it. Eventually, the nightmares tapered off and she stopped taking the medication. Ben said that he hasn’t heard her have a nightmare in at least a year.”

“These things take time. She knew that coming back here might trigger them again and she’s been doing real good about it.”

“Until Lincoln.”

“Right. We just have to have faith in her.”

She smiled crookedly at me and said, “Faith is all I have.”

“So do I.”

“Thank you for letting me get this off my chest, Clarke.”

“Your welcome and thank you for letting me know.”

“You deserve the right to know. She loves you.”

I gave her a small hug and said, “I love her, too. What time is it?”

Sephy looked at a band on her wrist and replied, “It’s late. I should let you get some rest.”

“Alright, but only if you promise me that you’ll get some too. Real rest.”

She laughed, “I promise. I will get some real rest. I’ll keep you updated about Nyx.”

“Thank you. Good night, Sephy.”

“Night, Clarke,” she said and gave me a hug.

 

The feeling of hands tightening around my throat and my leg screaming in pain startled me awake as I tried to scream, but no sound came out. I felt tears stream down my face as I fought to bring air into my lungs. My eyes finally flew open and I quickly sat up seeing no one there. I scrambled out of bed and threw myself into the corner, my entire body lighting up like a Christmas tree. My hands flew to my throat as I gasped to breathe, but there was nothing there. Looking down at my leg I could only make out faint lines from where Nyx’s teeth had ripped through it. Sobbing, I could only curl up on myself as fear paralyzed me and lightning skittered across my skin.

The door burst open and I screamed and tucked myself tighter into a ball, trying to make myself as small as I could and prayed that whoever had come through that door wouldn’t find me.

“Clarke,” a frightened voice called out.

I only tried to make myself smaller and quiet my breathing.

I heard cautious steps walk into the room, “Clarke, it’s Octavia. I’m coming in, okay?”

Lightning shot out towards the voice and I heard a yelp and a thud.

“Shit!”

“O,” a man’s voice questioned.

“Stay out there, she’s using her power.”

“I’m getting Abby,” he said and I heard footsteps running away.

“Clarke? I need you to calm down, okay? I’m not going to hurt you. I need you to trust me.”

Lightning struck out for her.

“Clarke, it’s okay. I promise. I heard you scream. I’m sorry that I came in the way I did, but it scared me. I only want to make sure you’re okay.”

“Don’t, don’t come any cl-cl-closer,” I stuttered.

“Okay. I’ll stay right here. Will you talk to me, please?”

I shook my head violently.

I heard her sigh and then she said, “Your mom’s on her way, Clarke. I need you to calm down, though. You’re using too much power. If you keep this up, it’s going to drain you, Clarke. Remember what Nyx said…”

At the mention of Nyx’s name, lightning shot out a third time.

“Okay, note to self, don’t say her name,” I heard her mumble to herself.

Octavia didn’t say anything more as we waited. I couldn’t remember what we were waiting for and it confused me, making my lightning surge outward in a small circle and making her yelp in fear.

“Thank god,” she said as footsteps raced to the room.

“Octavia,” a familiar woman’s voice asked.

“Abby, I think she had a nightmare. She screamed, waking me up and I kind of came through the door hard. I can’t get near her. Every time I move, she shoots out lightning. I can feel the power coming off of her, if she keeps this up for much longer, she’s going to start draining her life force,” Octavia explained in a rush.

“Clarke, honey, it’s me. It’s your mom,” the woman, mom, said soothingly.

“Mom,” I said, confused. Why was my mom here?

“That’s right. I’m here,” she said. “I need you to listen to me, alright? You need to stop using your power, sweetie. I can’t come in until you do.”

“Mom,” I said again.

“I’m here, baby.”

“She’s not here, is she?”

“No, she’s not. She’s in the bunker. She can’t get to you,” she replied soothingly.

I started to pull the power back into me, but then I heard footsteps approach and I pushed it back out again, but didn’t shoot lightning in the direction of the sound.

“Baby, I’m just trying to get to you. To make sure you’re okay. Can you let me do that, please,” she begged.

I wanted my mom. Needed her, so with great effort, I pulled in my power. The room automatically darkened now that I wasn’t lighting up the room.

“That’s great, sweetheart,” she said, her voice still soothing. “I’m going to come closer now, okay?”

I didn’t say anything, so she made her way cautiously and telling me exactly where she was to not frighten me. She stopped a few feet from me and knelt on the ground.

“Clarke, I’m going to have Octavia turn on the lights, okay. I need to see.”

I nodded ever so slightly and shut my eyes tight. There was a sudden flooding of light, making me cringe.

“There’s my sweet, baby girl,” she said softly. “Honey, can you look at me?”

I opened my eyes and peaked at her over my knees. She had a soft smile on her face. Seeing that smile and seeing her, relief rushed through me and I lunged at her. She caught me and held me tight. Sobs racked my body as she rocked me gently back and forth and rubbed my back like she used to do when I was little.

“Mom,” I cried out.

“Shh, baby. It’s okay. I’ve got you,” she said soothingly as she worked on calming me down.

My crying subsided and I hiccuped. She continued to hold me until I pushed away from her a bit. I sat back as I looked at her and she moved the strands of hair that covered my face.

“Can you tell me what happened, sweetie,” she asked quietly.

I thought hard as I tried to recall what happened. In flashes, I remembered hands and teeth and I recoiled, but she grabbed and held me tight again.

“It’s alright, Clarke. You’re safe. No one’s going to hurt you. I promise. Do you believe me?”

I nodded against her chest.

Taking a deep breath, I answered her as I stammered, “H-h-hands a-around m-my th-thr-throat. Teeth. P-p-pain in my l-leg, b-b-bad pain.”

“Would you like me take a look?”

I nodded and she gently took my head and lifted it to look at my throat. She let go and extended my leg, turning it slightly. I glanced down at it and only saw light scars from where Nyx’s teeth had been.

She tucked my leg back in and looking up at me with a gentle smile said, “Your neck is healed and so is your leg, sweetheart.”

Looking at her in confusion, I said, “It felt so real.”

“It probably did, but it was only a bad dream,” she replied. “What happened was terrifying and it’s okay to be scared, honey. It’s over now, she can’t hurt you again. We’ve made sure of it.”

“Is she…is she dead,” I asked even though I wasn’t sure which answer I wanted to hear.

She pulled me to her and said, “No, honey. That’s not what I meant. She’s still very much alive, but she’s heavily sedated and locked in the psych ward. She can’t get out.”

“Oh,” I said quietly.

It relieved me to know that she was still alive, but at the same time the feeling of fear crept up my chest. If she’s alive and if she knows that I’m alive, would she try to kill me again. I shuddered at the thought that she might try again.

“Mom,” I asked quietly, “if, if she got out…would she try again?”

“She can’t get out, Clarke.” She answered. “Honestly, we don’t know where her mind’s at. When she wakes up, she could very well still be stuck in the past and not realize that the danger is long past. It’s why she’s locked up and heavily sedated.”

I nodded, “That’s smart.”

“Yes, it is. How are you feeling, now?”

I thought about it and replied, “Confused, hurt, scared. I don’t think I can sleep.”

“I understand. It’s only an hour past dawn, you don’t have to go back to sleep if you don’t want to. I was about to start my rounds to see how our people are responding to the cure. Would you like to come with me and help?”

“I, I think I’d like that, Mom.”

“I’d like that, too. Why don’t you go and wash up. I’ll meet you in the kitchen, okay?”

I nodded and using the bed for support, stood up. Mom did the same and she embraced and kissed my forehead before she left the room, shutting the door with a soft click.

I sat on the bed and took a moment to regain some clarity. Logically, I knew exactly what I had just experienced. I’d been attacked and I was clearly traumatized by it, hence the realness of the dream. I understood that Nyx had a nightmare about what happened and that because of Lincoln’s description of what he witnessed, had brought it forward and made her relive it again to the point that she actually thought she was really there. So, it made sense that when she woke up, she didn’t see me as me, but me as an enemy. That was her reality.

Except in reality, it had been me and not an enemy she was trying to kill. In reality, she would have killed me if Sephy hadn’t gotten there in time. In reality, she has become dangerous to those around her. In reality, I loved and feared her at the same time. In reality, I didn’t know what to do.

I took a deep, shuddering breath and got up from the bed and forced myself to wash up. I had a feeling that I was going to have to force myself to do a lot of things, because all I wanted to do was hide under the covers and never come out again. I couldn’t do that because there were people that relied on me, people that needed me. I couldn’t let them down. I was determined not to let them down.

When I came down into the kitchen, Mom and Octavia were sitting around the breakfast table eating. I went straight to the coffee machine and poured myself a cup, making it the way I liked it. Joining them, Octavia silently slid a bowl of fruit my way. With a silent nod of thanks, I started eating.

Octavia sighed and said, “I am not looking forward to today.”

“Why’s that,” I asked after taking a sip of coffee.

“Seph informed me last night that Lexa is sending two of her people here to oversee their pack members. Indra and Dani,” she replied. “Indra’s the pack leader of the Southern Pack. Seph doesn’t know exactly what Dani does.”

“And you’re worried about what they’ll think of you because you’re new to being a pack leader?”

“That’s an understatement. Indra is an experienced pack leader and a trusted advisor to de Pakstoka according to Seph. Whereas, I am just stumbling around trying not to trip on my own feet.”

“I’m sure they’re aware of the fact that you’re very new to your position,” Mom said. “This may very well be beneficial for you. This Indra may be able to help you understand your role more and maybe let you shadow her while she’s here.”

“God, if she does that I’d willingly be indebted to them forever.”

I chuckled, “Octavia, we’re already indebted to the Forest Pack. They’re letting us stay and lay claim here. I don’t think we could become more indebted than that.”

She lifted a corner of her lips in a smile and replied, “True, but I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth and turn away any help they’re willing to give.”

“That’s a positive attitude,” mom said. “Just don’t let them take over your pack completely or they’ll run roughshod over you. You have to maintain the mindset that this is you’re piece of territory and that they’re just here to help.”

“So, maintain authority while at the same time learning from them.”

“Right,” mom said and then asked me, “Clarke, honey, are you about ready to go?”

I looked down at my bowl of fruit and seeing I was nearly through and replied, “Yeah, I think I’m done. I’m really curious to see how everyone is doing.”

She smiled and replied, “Then let’s get going, shall we?”

I smiled in return and we left the compound for the bunker.


	26. Octavia

I was glad that Abby found a way to distract Clarke from what happened yesterday. When Seph told me what happened, it scared the living daylights out of me. That this woman, who’ve we all come to respect and had treated us in kind, turned on a dime and tried to kill someone she loved. It frightened me to no end. All I could think about is that whatever happened on the northern border 8 years ago must have been a truly horrific event, if she continued to have nightmares about it. Then Lincoln had to open his big mouth and send her over the edge like that, it was mind boggling.

I had spent the afternoon with Lincoln and he truly seemed to regret his actions. He told me that before it happened, Nyx had been the kind of leader that drew undying loyalty from those under her command when she had to command. That the entirety of the pack looked up to her and tried to follow her example. I’d seen that and felt it too. She made you want to do better, to learn to work beyond your limitations, because she did that every day.

He explained to me that he hadn’t been that keen to be back under her command. That what had happened had changed the opinion of those that had survived. They feared her because of the immense strength and power that she commanded. They had tried to bring her down, stop her, but she’d simply tore through them, leaving nothing but death and chaos behind. I realized how tightly she held onto keeping all of that under control. There were times when we were given a peak at what she was capable of, like when she handled Jaha. You could just feel it coming off of her in waves, the control she exerted to use only what was necessary. She was disciplined and never did anything without knowing exactly what was going on around her.

But now, she seemed broken. When I’d gone down with Sephy to check on her, seeing her trying to fight the neurotoxin and escape, there was no sign of the person I’d grown to respect. All I saw was the wolf. A wolf that was doing everything in her power to fight. That was when Sephy ordered the sleeping gas to be vented into the room. Nyx had tried to fight that too, but eventually she succumbed to the gas and had collapsed. When Sephy had turned away from seeing that, her face was nothing but anguish and fear.

She told me that that was the hardest thing she’d ever had to do. Watching her sister as she seemingly had descended into madness. Making it worse was the fact that she couldn’t reach her, none of us could. It was terrifying to watch. That was when she contacted Lexa and let her know what had happened. Lexa had sounded just as anguished, but her voice was also tinged with guilt. Then she became determined and I heard the quick decision making that only a leader could. She informed Sephy that she would be sending Indra and Dani to take control of her men and hopefully help Nyx through this. Sephy had informed me that Indra had been one of Nyx’s teachers, weapons training. Dani was one of Nyx’s closest friend and had become her lover again.

That of course, still through me into a loop. Multiple lovers even when Nyx said that she loved Clarke. Talking to Nyx one day about the whole nymphomania that the Forest Pack were known for, she told me that the women that she spent more time with were women that she had great feelings for. Women that she loved but didn’t want to claim. I couldn’t understand that. How could you love multiple people and then go around and still sleep with other people? It made no sense and she couldn’t adequately provide me with an answer because she truthfully didn’t know why it was the way it was. The entire pack was just as confused as she was, but just rolled with it as they had for generations.

Sephy came into the kitchen and broke through my reverie and as she poured herself a cup of coffee, she said, “I’ve gotten word that Indra and Dani should be here in a couple of hours.”

“That’s good, I guess,” I replied taking a sip of my lukewarm coffee. I grimaced at the taste and wished for a second that I was a fire mage to warm it up and said, “How are you feeling that they will be taking control over your pack?”

“Relieved honestly,” she replied as she took a seat. “This is way out of my wheelhouse. Mother had barely begun training me in this type of operation before I came down here.”

“What can you tell me about them?”

“Well, Indra is the pack leader of the Southern Pack. My mother is her Second, which means that I follow her orders. She’s fair in her judgements and doesn’t make rash decisions. The pack respects her and she returns the respect. She’s not one to give out orders that she’s not willing to do herself. She’s one of the most skilled weapons trainer in Forest Pack. She’s also very picky as to who she’s willing to train and she is a hard taskmaster. She also doesn’t take any lip from anyone, not even de Pakstoka and she speaks her mind. She’s a good leader and friend, but she can seem to be standoffish until she gets to know you.”

“And Dani?”

“I’m not sure what Dani does, but she works exclusively for de Pakstoka and only answers to her. Her, Lexa, and Nyx were close friends. She’s probably the least serious of the three. Always dragging them away to have some fun and make sure that they weren’t always so serious. She could get them to do some crazy things that drove our parents up the wall. When Nyx left, she wasn’t the same anymore. From what I can remember, she focused on her work and rarely got out to enjoy herself. Then she and Lexa had a major fallout right before Mother moved us to the Southern Pack.”

“Do you think they’ll be able to work together?”

“I don’t see why not. They’re both professionals and they know what needs to be done. I don’t know what they think of one another, but de Pakstoka wouldn’t have sent them here if she thought there’d be any issues.”

“Got it,” I said and looked at the clock. “So, what do we do for the next hour and a half?”

She gave me a grin that I was learning to dread, “Feel like a bit of training?”

“Am I going to get my ass kicked?”

“Probably, but I’ll try not to kick it that bad. Promise.”

I sighed and said, “Alright, I’ve got nothing better to do anyway.”

She got up and dragged me out of the chair, giving me barely enough time to sit the cup on the table. We went out to the back because the weather was to nice to train indoors. Taking off our jackets and boots we started working on the moves she had just taught me the other day. When I was getting the hang of it, she attacked me without warning, I felt my wolf stir and I blocked and countered without thinking. She gave me a grin and attacked again. I countered successfully. She gave me the come hither gesture and I felt my own grin. I attacked, she blocked, and I countered the block with another attack. It felt good to let loose like this. My mind focused on the moves as my body moved as if I’d been doing this for years.

We were progressing on the next set of moves when a sudden alarm started blaring through the camp. We both stopped and looked up trying to figure it out what was going on.

“Shit,” Sephy yelled.

“What?!”

“She got out.”

“I thought she was sedated?”

“So did I. Come on, we’ve got to get her before she gets to the gates,” she said and took off running.

I took off after and then I remembered, “Clarke! She was headed to the bunker with her mother!”

“On it,” she replied and began relaying orders telepathically.

“Dammit, she’s nearly out of the bunker! We need to shift!”

“What?! The humans.”

“They’re about to get a very rude awakening. Now shift!”

We shifted and ran through the streets towards the bunker.

_We need to get to her, Octavia. She’s out of the bunker. We need to cut her off._

_Right. How do we stop her?_

_Everybody, listen up! Stop her by any means necessary, short of killing her. We need to stop her before she hurts anyone or makes it out of the gates._

We put on a burst of speed and came out of a side street. There was no sign of her or her pursuers, so we cut through another street to try to head her off the main road.

_Persephone, she’s repelling our attacks. She made a telekinetic shield. We can’t touch her_ , someone said, sounded like Lincoln.

_Got it. Octavia, you’re about to get a crash course of using your power while in wolf form. If she’s got a shield around her any direct attack will be sent back to us. Any ideas?_

_What if we send an attack on the ground in front of her? She wouldn’t be able to repel that, right?_

_Good, but if we do it too soon, she’ll just avoid it. This has to be timed perfectly. When I tell you to, envision your power going through the ground and coming out right before she steps where you envision it coming out of the ground. Picture something like a water geyser and hitting her with that, but keep the pressure low enough that it won’t kill her._

_How do I do that?_

_Just tell yourself that you only want enough pressure to immobilize her. Trust me, it works._

_Alright. I trust you._

_Good, because here she comes. Get ready._

We watched as a black streak ran straight on, heading for the gates. She didn’t see us coming up on her left side. When Sephy told me, I did exactly what she said and I felt the power surge through me and into the ground to come up exactly as she ran over the spot I’d chosen. She was shot straight up into the air and flew backwards, body limp. Then something cushioned her fall and brought her down slowly until we could get there. I felt Sephy’s power surge and I knew that she was forcefully keeping Nyx down. Looking behind us, I saw Harper running over. She must have used her power to stop her from falling too fast. Another wolf came up with something in its mouth and shifted mid-run. It was Lincoln and he had a tranq stick with him. He skidded to a halt, landing on his knees and plunged it into her neck. Nyx shuddered and still seemed to be stirring, so another tranq was used. Still didn’t seem to work. It took two more tranq sticks to get her to stay down. Sephy shifted back and felt for a pulse. 

“We’re good. She’s out,” she said breathlessly as she leaned back on her heels.

We all shifted back and Lincoln bent to pick her up. The rest of the group that had been chasing her had finally reached us and acting as our guard, escorted us back into the bunker. When we reached the psych ward we encountered the damage that she had caused to get out. The door to the room where she had been kept was blown off it’s hinges. There were cracks and chunks of concrete littering the floor, walls, and ceiling. Medical staff were working on at least a dozen guards and other staff that she had knocked out.

“Fuck,” Sephy said as she took it all in. “How the hell are we going to contain her, if the sedatives don’t work?”

“We may have a solution to that,” Raven said as she ran down the corridor.

“What do you mean?”

“Ben and I got to talking last night and he told me about a nullifier he had designed. His prevents any listening devices from sending data outside it’s area of influence while at the same time preventing telepathy from going past that area as well.”

“Go on.”

“He explained how he was able to restrict the telepathy and we hashed out how we could use that to inhibit powers while also giving us low level telepathy. This is what we came up with,” she said as she showed us a small circular disc.

“What do we do with it?”

“It’s meant to be placed right below the ear and just past the hinge of the jaw. All we have to do is shave that area and stick it there. There’s a clamping system, so that no matter what she does, she can’t knock it loose.”

“Does it work?”

“Oh, yeah, it works,” Kane said as he slowly joined us. “I hadn’t realized how much my body had changed with the cure. I felt a void where my power lies and was very disoriented while I had it on. It’ll work.”

“Great,” Sephy said. “Let’s get her into another room.”

Kane led the way to an empty room that had absolutely nothing in it and Lincoln laid her down gently. He took out a knife and shaved the area where the disc would be placed. Raven then kneeled down and placed it on the spot. She pressed down on the head and a little red light came on.

“That’s it,” she said, getting back on her feet. “When she wakes up, she won’t be able to use her powers.”

“Will she still be able to shift,” Sephy asked concerned. “When she’s in wolf form, she’s ten times stronger than in her human form. She could still do some damage.”

“It allows her to shift. Do you have anyone that could force her to shift, like the Harvest Moon, but backwards?”

“No, the only one who could possibly get her to shift would be de Pakstoka, but she needs to be able to get inside Nyx’s mind. Her mind is still blocked.”

“Should we have restraints installed to keep her movements to a minimum until she shifts back on her own?”

“We could try, but she may just end up using the restraints to hurt herself,” Sephy replied. “Lincoln, what was the dosage of each tranq?”

“Enough to take down a werewolf, but in her state it took four of them to take her out.”

She nodded and then said, “She’s also been able to shake off the sedative. I have no idea what to do.”

I heard footsteps echoing on the concrete and turned to see Abby and Clarke cautiously make their way over to us. I walked over and stopped Clarke from getting to close. She looked at me and I shook my head. She nodded in understanding and stopped where she was. 

“What do you think, Abby,” Raven asked as Abby knelt down and examined Nyx.

“Do werewolves have the same physiology as humans do when in their wolf form,” she asked Sephy.

“We do,” she said. “Why? What are you thinking?”

“If that’s the case, we could put her into a medically induced coma. It’ll keep her from waking up and trying to either harm herself or escaping. At least, until we figure out how to get her out of this mind state.”

Sephy thought about it for a few moments and then said, “Do it. I’d rather have her like that then dead or gone.”

“Alright. I’ll get it set up,” she said standing up.

“Thank you, Abby,” she said. “I know you don’t like her very much after what she did to Clarke. I’m glad that you’re willing to help her.”

“She needs the help whether I like her or not. It’s our only option until we can come up with a solution. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll get started.”

“Of course,” she replied and everyone stepped out of her way.

Sephy closed the door and locked it. She leaned against the door and closed her eyes.

“Lincoln,” she said with her eyes still closed, “get the men back to their posts. We still have humans to guard.”

“Yes, Persephone,” he said and inclined his head before leaving us.

“Seph,” Clarke said as she walked over to her now that the door was closed and locked. “Are you okay?”

“No, I’m not, Clarke,” she replied, opening her eyes and standing upright. “But there’s nothing I can do about it. At least your mom has a temporary solution and Raven’s come up with a way to stop her powers. We have some semblance of control. I’m just not sure how long we can keep this up. We need her back up and running.”

“I’m sorry,” Clarke said as she laid a hand on her shoulder.

“You have no reason to be sorry, Clarke. If anything, I’m surprised that your not angry or hurt by this.”

“Logically, I understand what happened. Lincoln triggered a regressive nightmare that turned into a waking nightmare. She acted out and I got caught in the crossfire. I can’t really be mad about that, except at Lincoln for causing it. But emotionally, it’s taking everything inside me to stay here right now. I’m scared of her now. I don’t even know if I’ll ever be able to look at her again and not want to run away and hide.”

Sephy nodded, “I can understand that and I’m heartbroken to hear you say that. I’d forgotten exactly how powerful she is.”

“Exactly how powerful is she,” I asked.

“She’s the most powerful werewolf that’s ever been born. When Mother Earth created her, she really broke the mold. And Nyx always kept herself tightly under wrap to keep something like this from every happening. This is why there was so much carnage at the northern border 8 years ago.”

“Holy shit,” I said in shock. “No wonder she keeps herself under the radar. From what you’ve told us about the Coalition, I think they’d try to clone her and create super werewolves.”

“They’d most certainly try, but she’d kill herself before that ever happened.”

The radio crackled on Sephy’s belt. 

She pulled it out and said, “Yes?”

“Pakstoka Indra and Daniela have just arrived,” a voice said on the other end.

“Thank you for letting me know. Please have someone escort them to the compound. We’re heading there now.”

“Roger that,” he said and the communicator when silent.

She sighed deeply and said to me, “Well, this outta be fun. Come on, Pakstoka, it’s time to put your game face on.”

I gulped in trepidation and said, “Let’s go, then. We don’t want to keep them waiting.”

“No, we don’t,” she said and led the way out of the bunker.


	27. Clarke

I watched as Octavia and Sephy jogged back to the entrance of the bunker and then turned around to face the door that separated us from Nyx.

“Clarke, that’s not a good idea,” Raven said when she saw me take a step forward towards the door. “It’s not an image you want to have when you think about her.”

“I know, Raven, but it’s like one of those things that’s so horrible you have a compulsion to look and watch,” I answered.

“Behind that door is not her. It’s her wolf and seems to be as if there’s no humanity there, just the wolf. A wolf that knows it’s trapped.”

“But she’s unconscious, right,” I asked as I took another step forward.

Raven stepped between me and the door and said, “Yes, but we don’t know for how long. It took four tranq sticks to knock her out. Four. She’s in her strongest form. If you look, it will change the way you see her, trust me.”

“She has to be in there somewhere,” I said as I tried to push past her, but she grabbed my arm.

“She may be, but she’s not coming out. She has blocked everyone, including the one person who may get her to shift back into a human. If Lexa can’t reach her, she’s stuck and she’s losing any humanity that she may have left. Don’t punish yourself with that, please.”

“I’m gonna need to face her sometime to get past this, Raven. Why not now?”

“Because it’ll hit you that much harder. Remember Finn? Remember how you and I felt when he died. That’s what this will be like. You’ve got to trust me. Let it be for now.”

I looked over at her and the look on her face told me everything there was to know, so I relented.

“Okay, Raven. I won’t look,” I answered and saw the relief on her face.

“Thank you,” she replied. “Come on, let’s get out of here. This place gives me the creeps.”

I looked around and had to agree with her. The psych ward had always been creepy, especially when the screams, moans, and indistinct conversations had echoed through the bunker.

“Yeah, let’s get out of here,” I replied and we walked away, but I spared one last glance at the door and I could have sworn I saw one black eye looking back at me mournfully. Then it was gone in a blink.

I shook it off and told Raven about the how the people were recovering. There were already people beginning to speak clearly and had clarity of mind. There was still a long ways to go, but it looked like the projections on complete recovery was right on track.

 

Later that day, I took my drawing pad and a box of graphite pencils and headed to the sunroom. I found a comfortable chair that was laid out in the best light. I let my mind wander as I laid pencil to paper.

“You’ve really captured her essence,” a woman’s voice startled me and made me squeak. “Shit. Sorry, I forget I’m rather silent when I walk.”

I looked over at her and saw a tall, lithe, woman standing a few feet behind my chair. She was absolutely stunning and I felt something tugging deep in my heart that I didn’t understand.

I cleared my throat, “It’s okay. I sometimes get rather lost in myself when I’m drawing. You were saying?”

She pointed to the paper I had been drawing on and repeated herself, “I commented that you really captured her essence in your drawing.”

I looked down at the paper and realized that I had drawn Nyx when she had been sitting up in the bed and looking out the window.

“This is the last thing I remember before everything went to hell,” I said as I sighed and laid it on a nearby table. “She was so beautiful in that moment. So vulnerable and at the same time, I could feel the tightly controlled power coming from her.”

“That you did,” she said as she picked it up. “You’ve even got her tattoos down to the last detail. She didn’t have them when she was banished, well the ones in the three corners. The center piece was done when she had just turned 18.”

“Do you know who the people are,” I asked curiously.

She smiled, “It’s real easy to tell. On the left is Persephone, named after the Goddess of the Harvest. That’s why she’s walking through a field of wheat. On her right is her brother, Nereus. The Sea God who predated Poseidon. He was the son of the primordial god, Pontus. That’s why he’s pictured splitting the sea in half. The phoenix on the other hand, I’m not sure. It could represent Lexa, who’s a fire mage, or it could possibly be something like a remembrance of what they once had. It’s interesting that she doesn’t have her mother represented here.”

“Why do you think that is?”

She shrugged, “Don’t know. It could be that she just hasn’t found the right image to represent her. Then again, Simone may be on her sleeve somewhere.”

“Who are you anyway,” I asked when I remembered I was speaking with a total stranger.

“Dammit,” she sighed. “I’m doing a really horrible job at this. I’m Daniela Rendon, Dani, and you’re Clarke, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. Good,” she said taking a chair next to me.

“Why is that good,” I asked perplexed.

She chuckled, “Because I wanted to see how you were doing.”

“Oh. Um, okay, I guess,” I answered her.

She tilted her head at me and asked, “Why do you say that you guess you’re doing okay.”

“Because I don’t know how I’m doing, honestly. I feel like I’m on autopilot right now.”

“Ah, now I understand. I felt like that after Nyx was banished. A lot of us did, even Lexa. We kind of all went through the motions until we realized that she wasn’t ever coming back,” she recalled sadly.

“That must have really been hard for you.”

She lifted a corner of her lips in a smile, “It was. It’s why I threw myself into my training and then into my job. That’s all I became. My job. No more fun. No more jokes. No more pranks. Nothing that was a part of the real me. And then suddenly, she was back in our lives, but she wasn’t truly back, you know? Just like me, she was all about the job.”

“But she’s not about the job anymore, right?”

“Mm-hm. Something changed and I don’t think it was about finally being found innocent.”

“What do you think changed her?”

“Well, after talking to Gaia and Seph, we all concluded that it was because of you.”

“Me? How could I have done that?”

“Because I can feel the same pull as Nyx had described to them. It’s like you’re pulling people into your orbit and our lives depend on the gravity you exert. There’s power there, but also goodness, caring, loving, nurturing, and a hint of darkness to balance it all out.”

I was taken aback at her bluntness and blushed at being described by that.

“Um, thank you? I don’t think I’ve ever been described that way before.”

She chuckled, “It’s true, but it’s the best analogy that I could come up with.”

I scrunched my face in thought and made her smile wider, “And you feel that same pull as Nyx?”

“Mm-hm. Weird, isn’t it?”

“Definitely.”

Our heads snapped in the direction of the door as we heard footsteps approach.

“Crap,” Dani said and tried to hide in her chair, making me giggle. “She’s found me.”

“Ah, there you are, Dani,” the woman said as she came in. “We’ve got work to do and no time to dally on. Flirt some other time.”

Dani sat up indignantly, “I was not flirting, was I? No, definitely no flirting on my part, I swear, Indra. I was just chatting with Clarke, here. Oh, by the way, Clarke this is the Pakstoka of the Southern Pack, Indra. Indra, this is Clarke, leader of the mages here.”

Indra bowed her head in greeting, “Clarke, I am honored to make your acquaintance, but you must excuse us. I have some words to exchange with Lincoln.”

Dani gave me a look and I smirked before she got up and followed Indra out the door. I could see the allure that called Nyx to her bed frequently. I sighed and turned my attention back to my drawing. Picking up the pad, I finished the shading that I had been working on when I’d been interrupted. I held it away from me and looked at it this way and that. I smiled at what I saw and took it up to my room and tucked it underneath the mattress. Why I hid it, I wasn’t sure, only that I wanted to.

When I came back downstairs, Sephy was sitting in the office looking over some papers. I knocked on the door and she looked up, startled.

“Sorry,” I said. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”

She sighed and leaned back in chair as she said, “It’s fine, Clarke. Come on in. Indra’s just given me some homework, so to speak.”

“Oh,” I said curiously and walked into the office. “What kind of homework?”

“Logistics,” she replied, making a face. “I have to figure out how much food we’re going to need for the next four months with roughly 2-250 people to feed. 75 of which are werewolves.”

I sat in a chair facing the desk and said, “They’re expecting to stay here for that long?”

“They’re expecting this to be a long term occupation,” she replied. “No one in the Forest Pack has dealt directly with humans. We stay within our own territory and only leave it on the rare occasions. Gustus’s trip to Old Towne was the first time a member had left the territory in over 25 years and Nyx’s banishment doesn’t count. We just don’t know what to expect, so Indra is erring on the side of caution.”

“This really is new territory for everyone involved,” I said thinking. “Well, we have earth mages, right? So, they’ll be able to grow crops as we need them, won’t they?”

“To a point. I have to give them an idea of how much needs to be grown and at what intervals. Yes, they can speed up the growth, but they have to make sure it’s not too fast or there will be problems with the soil. Move to fast and the nutrients found in the soil will disappear and then take months to regenerate. Then there’s crop rotations to not lose those nutrients as well. The goal is to maintain a healthy diet of vegetables and grains. Then of course, deciding how much livestock will have to be brought in for dairy and fresh meat. Hunting season is nearly over, which means less wild prey.”

“And werewolves need a lot of protein in their diet.”

“Exactly. That is why I am sitting here, behind this desk, going cross-eyed, and comparing what we have with what we need.”

“Is that a normal duty of a Second,” I asked curiously.

“Yes. This is usually planned during the winter months so that come spring we know what to plant and how much of it we need.”

“I’m surprised you don’t have Miller in here helping you with this,” I said. “He is going to have to learn this at some point.”

Her eyes brightened a huge grin spread over her face, “You are absolutely right, Clarke. Miller should be here learning this. Hah! Now, I won’t be the only one miserable.”

I laughed softly, “Glad I could help. Anyway, two heads are better than one.”

I got up and decided to walk around the camp for a little while since I didn’t really have anything to do. Moving about the camp I saw that buildings were beginning to be renovated, the pack not even hiding their powers thanks to this morning’s escapade. It was a relief, really, knowing that I didn’t have to hide my powers or that our pack didn’t have to hide what they really were.

I made my way over to the fields and watched a bit while huge greenhouses were being raised in preparation of growing crops during the winter. They had the humans helping and it saddened me to see that their body language radiated fear. I wanted to go over and tell them that they didn’t have anything really to fear. That this was a result of what happened after the apocalypse. That the Forest Pack didn’t want to truly hurt them. But, I think right now, it was too soon to offer that kind of support.

Making my way to the Town Hall, I spotted four figures in a tight knot. As I got closer, I saw that it was Indra, Dani, Octavia, and Lincoln. I guessed that Indra was having those words that she wanted to exchange with him. His body language portrayed submissiveness and I felt bad for him. I don’t think he realized that he’d get this much grief for a single voiced thought or that it would have such a detrimental effect. I sighed and waved slightly when Dani laid eyes on me. She gave me a wink and then turned her attention back to the conversation. Octavia looked torn between Lincoln and Indra, but remained silent even though I could see her body tense like she wanted to speak. 

Entering Town Hall, my footsteps echoed through the empty building. I ran into Bellamy as he rounded a corner. I made a noise and he grabbed me to keep me from falling.

“Clarke,” he said, his face brightening. “I was just on my way to see you.”

I looked at him in confusion and asked, “You were?”

“Yeah. I wanted to see how you were doing and ask you something.”

“I’m doing okay,” I replied. “So, what’s the question.”

He pulled me off to the side and asked, “Do you think I could speak with Jaha?”

“Why would you want to talk with him?”

“I need some advice on how to speak with our people. I want to help them understand what exactly is going on, especially after this morning’s display from the werewolves.”

“I’m not sure that is such a good idea, Bellamy. Sephy has told me that they’ve tried to reason with him, but he’s just not having it. He is incensed that you’ve taken over the leadership and that he’d have to join the rest of the humans as a laborer.”

“Well, can you blame him,” he said. “Jaha has been in charge for the last five years. I know none of us like the man, but I don’t think it’d be that bad for me to speak with him for a few minutes.”

“Is it that important to you to speak with him?”

He nodded, “Yeah, it is. Since you’re the leader of the mages, do you think you could allow me to talk with him?”

I shook my head and replied, “Under normal circumstances, I’d say yes as long as you were under guard presence. Unfortunately, it’s not my call. The Forest Pack is running things for the time being. You’d have to speak with Pakstoka Indra to gain permission. And when you speak to her, I’d tell you to have exactly what you wish to speak with him about and that you won’t deviate from those talking points.”

He sighed, “I was hoping to avoid speaking with her. It’s exactly what Kane said I should do when I asked him.”

“Then there’s your answer. Last I checked, she was outside giving Lincoln a tongue lashing.”

“Then I guess I’d better head out there before she leaves.”

“Good luck,” I said and watched him walk out of the building.

Instead of the council room, I headed to Raven and Monty’s lab. Monty was the only one there.

“Hey, Monty,” I said as I neared his worktable.

He jumped, but didn’t lose his grip on whatever he was working on.

He turned and looked at me and gave me a small smile, “Hey, Clarke. Is there something I can do for you?”

“Actually, yes. Could you get me in contact with Ben. I have a question I want to ask him.”

“Sure,” he replied, got up and walked over to the array of monitors.

Pressing a few buttons and waited for Ben to answer the request. When Ben’s face showed up, Monty left me alone with him.

I sat in the chair and faced Ben’s image.

“Clarke, this is unexpected,” he said a little uneasy. “Is everything going okay?”

“It depends on your definition of okay,” I replied. “Nyx broke out of her room and tried to make a run for it this morning. We got her and she’s in a medically induced coma for now.”

His face fell at the news and I could see the sadness in his eyes, “That’s bad, Clarke. The Coalition has been sending me emails to find out when she’d be able to return to the city. I’ve been able to hold them off and telling them the job is taking longer than expected. I gave them an estimate that we may be done by Spring and let me tell you, they were not happy about it.”

“And I take it that pissing the Coalition off is not a good thing.”

“It’s not, but right now there’s nothing any of us can do about it,” he said and then asked, “So, why the call?”

“Oh, right,” I said as I remembered what I had been thinking about. “Do the kids still attend school now?”

“They do. It’s still structured similar to what was in place before the apocalypse. Why?”

“Do they teach about the history of what happened after the apocalypse?”

“As far as I know, yes,” he said confused by my questions.

“That’s good. I was thinking that we could give a course to the humans on the history of what happened after it. Give them a valid explanation.”

He had been typing while I was talking and he gave me a grin when he spotted something, “There’s a video presentation explaining the whole thing. The down side is that it’s skewed to our point of view.”

“Yeah, but that’s because of who created it,” I replied. “What’s in the history books is what’s written and published by those that were in power at the time and the victors of armed conflicts. It wouldn’t be anything new. What would be great too, is if we could find some scientific evidence of why the humans have been dying out or strong theories.”

“Scarlett might be able to get that for you. She’s been studying the human decline for years now, trying to understand why she’s lost seemingly healthy humans, including children, to heart failure.”

“That could work. Can you ask her for me?”

“Sure, no problem. Was there anything else?”

“Not really. Can you send all of that soon?”

He smiled and replied, “The video is already sent. My suggestion is to sit down and watch it before presenting it to the humans. Make sure that it’s what you want. I can look around some more and send what I find.”

“That would be fantastic. Thank you, Ben.”

He blushed and replied, “Your welcome, Clarke. Thank you for letting me know about Nyx. Lexa hasn’t been really forthcoming in that department.”

“That’s probably because her break happened only yesterday.”

“You’re probably right. I’m just really worried, especially since she’s nearly died twice and had our home blown up.”

“I can understand how you feel, Ben. I promise I’ll try to keep you informed in regards to her.”

“Thanks. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Alright. Bye, Ben,” I said and the transmission was cut. I turned around in the chair and called, “Hey, Monty. Ben sent us a video on the history of the post-apocalypse. Can you bring it up?”

He came back over and said, “Sure. I’ll even set it up on one of the tablets so you don’t have to sit here and watch it.”

I smiled, “You just don’t want me in your lab to disturb you while you work.”

He smiled sheepishly, “You’ve caught me, but here’s the tablet and it’s cued to watch the video.”

“Thank you,” I replied taking it from him. “I’ll get out of your way, then.”

I got up and left the lab, but once I was out of the door, I debated if I wanted to go back to the compound to watch or head to the Council room. I decided to head to the Council room. If there was anybody in there, they could watch it as well.

Pushing the door open, I saw Kane, Mom, and Raven pouring over various paperwork. They looked up at the sound of the door and Mom came over to give me a hug.

Looking down at my hands, she asked, “What have you got there, sweetheart?”

“I spoke with Ben about seeing if they taught the history of what happened after the apocalypse to the children. He sent me this.”

“What are you thinking,” Kane asked as Mom and I walked over to them.

“I’m thinking that we could show this to the humans to help them understand what happened after the doors to the bunker were sealed.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” he said thoughtfully.

I nodded, “I also asked if there was any hard evidence about what was happening to the humans to cause them to die off. He said that Scarlett would be the best person to ask. He’s doing that for me.”

Mom perked up at that and said, “That would be really great. After that speech Nyx gave us, I was wondering what could have caused it.”

“My point,” I replied. “I came in here to watch it.”

Raven took the tablet from me and plugged it into the holo projector Sephy had placed in the middle of the table and said, “We might as well watch this together and see how they teach it.”

“That was my thinking if there were people in here. Ben did tell me it was skewed to the Apex point of view, but that’s to be expected.”

“You’re right,” Kane said as he took a seat.

We all took a seat and Raven hit play. When it was over, we all sat back absorbing the information.

“That was surprisingly very informative. It answered every question I could think of,” Kane said into the quiet.

“It most certainly did,” Raven said, surprised. “Of course, the way the humans were depicted was atrocious.”

“I don’t think it was any different from the way minorities were portrayed in the history books prior to earning their civil rights back in the day.”

“If that’s the case, I have to wonder if our humans won’t demand the same treatment?”

“Probably,” I replied. “They’re already accustomed to those civil rights. To have them denied now, would most definitely cause issues.”

“Then we really have to make them understand and agree to having a peace summit with the Forest Pack, so that they can continue to have at least some of the civil rights returned,” Kane said thinking.

“Of course it all depends on what the Forest Pack is willing to provide us and if the Coalition would allow the humans to remain here in town,” Raven said.

“But that’s for another day to decide,” I said. “Now the big question is, how do we want to disseminate the information. En masse or small groups?”

“I think the best way would be in small groups with Council members leading the class. They’ll more likely respect us and maybe we can demonstrate our powers,” Kane replied.

I scrunched my face in thought and said, “I agree with the small groups, but I’m not sure I like the idea of demonstrating our powers.”

“How about if they ask for a demonstration,” Abby replied. “That way, they are the ones asking for proof and we’re not just trying to show off.”

“That I like,” I replied. “We could also take the opportunity to tell them that there’s a possibility that the people that were struck down by the neurotoxin may develop powers because of the cure itself.”

“Show them the brain scan simulation as proof,” Raven said, smiling in anticipation. “I could set up a whole presentation.”

“That would be perfect. I’ll speak with Pakstoka Indra and let her know what we’re planning on doing. She’ll probably insist on having more guards present.”

“I think we can live with that. It makes sense once the information is passed on from the first group,” Kane said.

“Then, I’ll go find her and let her know,” I said, standing up.

“And I’ll make that presentation,” Raven said.

“Sounds like a plan,” Kane replied. “Good luck, both of you.”

We nodded and left the room. I was halfway out of the building when Mom stopped me.

“Clarke,” she said as she caught up with me.

I stopped and said, “Yeah, Mom?”

“How are you holding up?”

I sighed, “I’m already getting tired of people asking me that. But this is good for me. It’s keeping me distracted from worrying about Nyx or thinking about what happened.”

“You know we’ll have to do something if you start having nightmares.”

“I know. It’d probably be a good idea to have someone stay in my room to keep an ear out on me.”

She smiled wanly and replied, “That was what I was going to suggest. If you don’t mind, I’d like to do it.”

I smiled, “No Mom, I won’t mind. It’ll be like when I was little.”

“Thank you,” she said and gave me a tight hug. “I’ll let you get back to work.”

“Thanks, Mom. I’ll see you later. I want to do a round and check on their recovery.”

“Just let me know and I’ll do the round with you.”

“Alright. Love you.”

“Love you, too,” she said and turned back to the Council room.

Heading outside, I didn’t see an immediate sign of Indra so I asked the first guard I came to. He told me that she had gone back to the compound to speak with Sephy. I thanked him and hurried over there.

I found the five of them in the office discussing the food supplies. I knocked on the door and Sephy waved me in. I joined them and listened in.

“So, you’re positive that we’re going to need that much in the way of crops,” Indra said to Sephy.

“If I did my math right, and honestly I double checked with Mother, that is how much we’re going to need.”

“And there’s how much in the stores?”

“Not enough to last the month. We’ll have to ration and we’ll still not come close to meeting a month’s supply.”

“How long do we have before the first crop is ready,” Dani asked.

“No more then six weeks if we use exclusively our earth mages. If we use those that reside in Manassas, it could take up to three months. They’re just not trained in the use of their power yet. We haven’t had the chance to really train anybody in their powers.”

“So, their training needs to done immediately and it’ll have to be rushed.”

“Yes. They’re willing, but I don’t want them to over do it. It won’t do them any good if they kill themselves to try and match what ours can do.”

“We also need to get the water mages involved as well,” Dani said thinking. “We’ve got to make sure we have fresh water for the duration and that includes irrigating the crops.”

“That sounds like a lot of work before the first snowfall,” I cut in.

“We’re in the middle of October,” Indra replied. “As long as the weather holds like this for at least the next month and a half, we’ll be okay. Tomorrow I’ll start sending out hunting parties to bring in some fresh meat.”

“Have we sent out requests to the other packs to see if they can send some of their stores to us,” Sephy asked.

“Not yet,” she replied. “I’m going to bring that up with de Pakstoka tonight.”

Sephy looked up at me and asked, “I know you’re not here to listen to this, Clarke. What’s on your mind?”

“I actually came here to speak with Pakstoka Indra about something,” I replied.

“What is it that you wanted to speak about,” Indra asked.

“I think I might’ve come up with a way to get the humans to gain perspective about the world. Ben gave me an informational video on the history of what happened after the apocalypse. Some of the members of my Council watched it with me and we all agree that it’s worth sharing with them,” I answered her.

“So, you want to show this video to them?”

“Yes. I’m hoping that Scarlett will also be able to provide a scientific theory as to why the humans have nearly died off. From what Ben’s said, the healthy humans seem to die of heart failure.”

“That could work,” Dani replied. “We’ll have to increase the guard presence of course, as the information is disseminated.”

I nodded, “That’s what we figured. Some of them have already seen us use our powers and shift, so I know that information is already spreading. Now we can give them an explanation as to why we have powers and they don’t.”

“It’ll have to be done in small groups,” Indra informed me.

“Again, that’s what we figured would be best. Too large a group and they’ll be harder to contain if they take exception to what they’ve learned. Especially, since it does paint humans in a bad light.”

“Have you thought of a way to bring up what may happen to the people recovering from the neurotoxin,” Octavia asked.

“Right now, show the the simulated brain scan so they see how the cure works and the possible outcome. It’d be nice if we could have a ratio, but I don’t think they want to know that. It might frighten them more.”

“Or give a bigger incentive to try and wrest control from us.”

I nodded, “And with Jaha still bound and determined to gain control of the Council and exert the fact that the humans outnumber us, it’ll be suicidal for them.”

“What if we performed the same mind manipulation that was done with Bellamy on Jaha?”

I grimaced, “I’d not like to do that if we can help it. I felt bad enough for doing it to Bellamy.”

“Even if there were no moral conflicts, we don’t have a telepath powerful enough to do it. Nyx and the Ice Pack spy are the only ones that could,” Indra supplied.

“Which means Jaha has to stay separated from the rest of the humans.”

“Agreed. As to what you want to do, give us a couple of days to get the guards set up and we can begin the process.”

“Thank you.”

“Your welcome. Was there anything else that you wished to speak about?”

Hearing the dismissal in her question, I replied, “No, that was it. I’ll leave you to get back to your meeting.”

“Very well, thank you for bringing this up to me.”

“Of course,” I said and left the office.

I wandered into the kitchen and made myself a light meal. I sat eating while I looked out the window. I could see some of the pack running the obstacle course that had been installed. It was rather amazing to watch as they moved about it. Even though they had just learned that they were werewolves, they ran as if they’d always known how to do it. I sighed, a little jealous of what they could do, but I don’t think I could ever want to be one of them.

I saw Dani in the reflection of the window and turned to face her and asked, “Meeting over?”

She made a face and replied, “No. I can only stand so much discussion over logistics. It’s not what I was trained for.”

“Oh, what were you trained for,” I asked, instantly curious.

She took a seat and plucked an apple out of the fruit bowl and took a bite out of it before she answered, “Most of it I can’t talk about. I’m a part time courier for Lexa, since I’m one of the fastest wolves in the pack. If there’s time sensitive information that another pack needs, I’m the one she sends to do it.”

“Wouldn’t using a vehicle be faster?”

“Sometimes, yeah, it would. But there are a multitude of issues that may spring up just using a vehicle. Most of the roads have been reclaimed by the forest, so travel is more difficult. If the vehicle hasn’t been properly maintained, it could break down and I’d be stuck until a mechanic could reach me. Delaying the information. So, it’s faster just to use a wolf courier, because there’s no chance of a delay.”

“I get it. What else can you tell me about your job?”

“Um, I’m a military strategist and air mage which are the only things I can tell you, I’m afraid.”

“Fair enough.”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“I guess,” I said shrugging.

“It’s gonna sound weird, but what was it like to go this long and not know that you had powers and suddenly discover that you do?”

I chuckled, “That is a very good question. It was a complete and total shock. None of us realized that this could even exist outside of fiction. I guess you could say that coming out of the bunker possibly jumped started our powers and that they had lain dormant. I think it would have freaked everyone out if someone had suddenly shifted into a werewolf or if someone used a power. But I think that was a good thing. We’d probably be dead if it had happened.”

“See, that’s something that is real hard to grasp for us,” she said leaning forward. “We’re born with these powers, so it’s as natural as breathing.”

“I’m still getting used to it,” I said. “I’m not even sure if my power is very useful outside of a fight.”

“What is your power?”

“Lightning,” I said and held up my hand and allowed sparks to move between my fingers.

Her eyes widened and she grinned, “That’s awesome! Lightning mages are real rare. I’m impressed. No wonder they consider you their leader.”

“So far, the only thing that’s come out of it are sensual contact and protecting myself.”

She gave me a look and said, “Sensual contact?”

I blushed and coughed, “Yeah. I was accidentally giving off charges to random strangers. They seemed to enjoy it. Confused the hell out of me when they kept giving me grateful looks.”

“Does that still happen?”

“No. I seem to gotten control over that.”

She pouted slightly and made me laugh, which made her grin.

“You have a beautiful laugh, Clarke,” she said with a gleam in her eye that I couldn’t comprehend.

“Okay,” I replied, blushing redder.

“You even blush beautifully,” she said, her voice softer.

I swallowed quickly and felt a different heat begin to rise, which I didn’t think possible especially after what happened with Nyx.

“Um, I really should get going,” I said standing up quickly. “I told my mom, I’d go on rounds with her.”

“Of course,” she said, sitting up straighter. “I shouldn’t have kept you this long.”

I put my plate in the sink and quickly walked out of the kitchen. I took a quick glance back, but she was staring out of the window. Her eyes flicked to my reflection and a small smile played on her lips.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I left the gates. I billowed my shirt trying to cool off from whatever had happened in the kitchen with Dani and trying to calm my racing heart. Walking quickly, I avoided as many people as I could keeping my head down and tried to work out what had just happened. I wasn’t paying attention and I walked into someone. They stopped me from falling and I looked up to see who I had walked into. It was Lincoln.

“I, I’m sorry,” I said as I looked up at him. “I didn’t mean to walk into you.”

He smiled slightly and I could see his nostrils flare slightly, making me back up.

“It’s perfectly alright, Clarke,” he replied amiably.

“Thank you,” I replied and tried to walk around him, but he stopped me.

“Clarke,” he said as he let go of my arm, “I’m sorry about what happened. I didn’t realize that she’d have some kind of break when I spoke.”

“How could you have known, Lincoln,” I said. “You haven’t seen her in 8 years, so you have no idea what she’s been through.”

“You’re right. I don’t know. I wasn’t even there when she was banished. I was in the hospital recovering.”

“You were angry, Lincoln,” I said, looking at him dispassionately. “I get it. We all do, but it’s not an excuse to bring it up in front of people or be that callous.”

He took a step back and said, “Yes, I was angry. You have no idea what went on that day. The only reason why I’m even alive is because I hid under the dead. She did that. She killed my family.”

“Yet, you’re still angry, bitter even. You wanted her to feel what you felt. Well, guess what, you did. Congratulations, you almost got me killed for your effort,” I replied vehemently.

His eyes widened and he took another step back, but I took a step forward and said, my voice menacing, “Thanks to you, Lincoln, Nyx is in a medically induced coma! You wanna know why? Because she fucking tried to kill me and this morning she tried to escape! She won’t even talk to anyone, much less shift! Why? Because you were fucking callous, rude, inconsiderate, and so many other things I can’t think of right now! We fucking need her to get out of the damn mess and now we don’t know if we ever will! All. Because. You. Couldn’t. Keep. Your. Damn. Mouth. Shut!”

With every word I spoke, I felt the lightning surge through me. By the time I bit off my last sentence, lightning struck at his feet and he jumped back as each strike emphasized each word.

“I would kill you if I thought that it would bring her back, you fucking coward,” I said and pulled it all back in, and walked into the bunker.

 

Octavia

 

The meeting was finally over with and I was in the kitchen, drinking a cup of coffee with Sephy, when Dani came running in and slid to a halt right in front of us. She whispered something in Sephy’s ear and her eyes bugged out as her mouth formed an ‘o.’

“You’re kidding, right,” Sephy asked Dani.

Dani shook her head, “Nope. Not in a thousand years would I joke about something like this.”

“You know, he’s going to ask to transfer back to the Southern Pack.”

“Duh! And you know very well, Indra will deny his ass faster than he can say please.”

“Okay. Hold up,” I said, completely confused. “What the hell are you two talking about?”

Dani tried to keep a serious face, but she just couldn’t hide the shit eating grin, “Okay, you know how Lincoln has done nothing but apologize since Indra got here?”

“Uh-huh…”

“Well, he just tried to apologize to Clarke.”

“What do you mean ‘tried?’”

“He did the whole ‘I’m sorry’ line and then he dug himself a deeper hole. No one could hear exactly what was exchanged until Clarke raised her voice.”

“Go on,” I said, completely invested in this story now.

“She started yelling at him about the fact that Nyx nearly killed her and had to be put in a coma. But, as she was yelling, her lightning flared up and she blazed with it, shooting sparks everywhere. Then to emphasize her point about not keeping quiet, lightning shot down at his feet making him jump like five feet backwards each time. The last thing she said to him was that if she thought it would bring Nyx back, she’d kill him!”

I leaned against the counter hard, my thoughts momentarily frozen.

“Damn,” was the only word I could say.

“No kidding,” Sephy said. “Nyx would be proud of her standing up to him like that, defending her.”

“Yeah, she would have,” Dani replied, but all humor had left her. “Dammit! Lincoln should be in the fucking coma, not Nyx.”

Sephy went and hugged her and said, “I know, Dani. I feel the same damn way. If only she’d just talk to us.”

Watching them comfort each other made me realize just how important Nyx was to these two. A sister, friend, lover. They were suffering along with who knew how many out in the camp. Lincoln had done more damage in a few sentences then we did when they killed Jessamine.

Dani sniffled and she said, “I would’ve given anything to see that confrontation.”

Sephy giggled, “Oh, god, you would. You always did like a good fight.”

She shrugged as she let go of Sephy and replied, “So I know what I like, sue me.”

“If I sued you, what would I get? Nothing. That’s what. Nothing, but air.”

“Har-de-har-har, imp. And who was it that insisted on flying like a frickin’ squirrel when they were little? You. A fucking werewolf wanting to be a damn squirrel. That’s just plain weird.”

“Weird?! What’s weird is your incessant supply of beauty products? Who needs twenty different shades of olive toned concealer?! You need at the most only two. And don’t get me started on the hair products. Who do you even go to for that shit?”

“Hey, don’t hate me because I’m beautiful. I need each and every last one of them.”

“No, you don’t. You’re a freaking narcissist. I saw your bathroom upstairs, you know. There’s barely a space to walk from door to shower. You’ve got to tiptoe through that shit.”

“How bout I tiptoe your ass to the moon, girlie,” she said, eyes flashing mischief.

“As if you could,” Sephy replied mockingly.

I just kept standing there watching with merriment until they both turned and looked at me.

“What’re you smiling at, O,” Sephy asked.

I stood up straight and schooled my face, “Oh, um, nothing. Not a thing. Ya know, I should probably take a couple of runs out on the obstacle course. Training and all.”

“You know, that’s not a bad idea, Seph,” Dani said with a gleam in her eye. “I think it’s time to see what this young pup can do.”

“I am no young pup,” I declared. “I’m older than Sephy.”

“Oh, is that a challenge I hear,” Seph said with a feral grin.

I started backing away and they followed. I looked between the two and I knew I was going to get my ass kicked.

“Shit,” I yelled then turned and ran into the back with them chasing me.

We shifted and we spent hours trying to best one another. It’s was a good time and we forgot what we were worried about.

 

Clarke

 

I was finally able to leave the closet I had locked myself in after dealing with Lincoln and made my way to mom’s office. I looked in and saw her pouring over records, making me smile at the memories of seeing her like that often. I knocked and she looked up and smiled, then her faced creased in worry.

“Clarke, is everything alright,” she asked as she got up from behind the desk.

“Yeah, Mom. Everything’s okay,” I said as I gave her a hug.

“Sweetheart, you’re flushed. You’re not getting sick, are you?”

I chuckled weakly, “No, Mom. Nothing like that. I just had an encounter with Lincoln outside the bunker. He keeps sticking his foot in his mouth every time he apologizes. It was my turn to endure it.”

She tilted my head up and looked me in the eyes and sighed, “Alright. He really is not good with apologies, is he?”

“No, he’s not. He just makes things worse to the point you want to beat him up to make him be quiet.”

She chuckled, “Well, don’t do that.”

“I’ll try, but it’s so hard to resist with him,” I said and looked at her desk. “Are those the latest scans?”

“They are,” she said as she moved some of them around. “They’re doing better every day. More of them have started to show a return of motor skills along with verbalizing coherently what they need. Seeing how slow the process is, makes me glad that Nyx gave me an insta-cure.”

“At least they are getting better. Trust me when I tell you that it is such a relief not to see people dying any more,” I said shuddering at the thought. “It was very hard to watch them dying slowly and knowing we couldn’t do anything about it.”

“You know,” mom said, thinking out loud, “it amazes me how effortless these people use their powers. It’s an extension of themselves, like a limb. I wonder if we’ll be able to come to terms like that with our powers.”

“Well, from what we’ve been told, mages like techno mages and healers use their power intuitively. They think of a problem and because it’s all mental, their minds work through the possible solutions and then pick the most likely to succeed. It’s really obvious when you see what Raven and Monty have come up with.”

“I agree. It took Raven less than 24 hours to come up with that disc and only after a brief discussion with that Ben guy.”

“That Ben guy, as you refer him as, is actually Nyx’s business partner,” I told her. “He’s the one that built and designed most of the technology that she used as an Enforcer. Each build was meant to make her job easier and safer.”

“He must really care for her.”

“He does. She took him in when no one would and accepted him for who he is and he blossomed under that acceptance.”

“She really is quite the person. The way she draws loyalty and trust. From what I’ve been told about the type of person she was prior to 8 years ago, she really cares for her people and took her job very seriously.”

“That’s what I’ve been told too. She’s remarkable.”

“Anyway, shall we take a look at our patients?”

I smiled, “That sounds like a very good plan, Dr. Griffin.”

“Then after you, Ms. Griffin,” she said chuckling.

The patients were doing well and we spent the rest of the afternoon just talking. We talked about everything. It was nice to finally get things off of my chest that I hadn’t realized I’d been keeping inside. We came back to the compound right before dinner and I was confused when I didn’t see Octavia, Dani, or Seph already at the table. I sat down in my regular seat and couldn’t help but feel the void next to me.

Finally, they showed up and they looked the worse for wear. They all sported bruises, cuts, and various limps. Mom got up, concerned, and headed straight for them.

“What the hell did the three of you get into,” she demanded as she looked them over.

“We were just training, Abby,” Octavia replied.

“Yeah, but I think it got a little out of hand,” Seph said as she grimaced.

“If I remember correctly, ladies,” Indra said. “It looked more like rough housing then training. Dani you know better.”

Dani had enough presence of mind to look abashed, “You’re right, Pakstoka. My apologies.”

“Hmph. Abby, you don’t need to heal them. They’ll be fine by morning,” Indra told my mom.

“How do you know that,” Mom asked curiously as she came back to the table and sat down.

“A perk of being a were. We’ve been gifted with accelerated healing. Injuries like those don’t last more then 8 hours. They’ll heal while they sleep.”

“Sonofabitch,” Sephy cried out as she slapped the table. “That’s what I was forgetting. God, I’m stupid.”

Looks of confusion spread across the room and I asked, “What did you forget?”

“The accelerated healing,” she explained. “That’s why she keeps waking up from the sedatives quicker than she should. Everything about Nyx is like supercharged. Her powers are all equally strong, none of them are weaker then the other, including her telepathy. Her wolf is bigger, stronger then any other werewolf in the territory. Which means her metabolism is faster.”

“And that means she burns through the sedatives faster,” I supplied.

“Exactly. God, how could I have missed that?”

“We all did,” Dani said. “We were more interested in keeping her contained that we forgot about her metabolism.”

“So, the coma was actually the best thing to do,” mom asked.

“Yes, at least temporarily. We’re going to have to bring her out of it in a few days and see if we can get through to her or if she’ll shift voluntarily.”

“If we can’t, we’ll have to put her back under if she gets violent or tries to get out again,” Sephy said sadly.

This quieted everyone, including Bellamy. Dinner was another somber occasion and everyone drifted off. I went straight to my room, pulled my pad from underneath it, and laid down, looking at the drawing. 

I traced over the lines, remembering the feel of her skin and how her muscles twitched when I ran my hand lightly over her. How open she was in that single moment. The realization that she really loved me and I her. In that one single moment there were so many truths found that I wanted to capture. I did, but I wanted so much more than a single moment. I was afraid that it would be the only moment, memory, that I would ever have.

I wiped my tears away when a single drop landed on the page, blurring the lines of her right hip. Sighing, I propped it up on a pillow facing me and looked at it until I fell asleep.


	28. Persephone (Sephy)

The few days were up and I followed Abby down into the bunker. Dani, Indra, Octavia, and Clarke followed us, all silent. The bunker, itself, was silent. There were no voices, no hums of electricity, or random bangs from pipes. It was if the world waited with bated breath to see if Nyx would come back to us.

When we reached the door, Abby’s assistants were already standing by as were ten guards with tranq rifles loosely aimed at the door. We stood back as the door was opened and they entered the room. After what seemed like forever, they left pushing equipment in front of them and closed the door behind them.

Abby walked over to us and said, “She should be waking soon. I don’t know how she’ll react, but be prepared for anything.”

“Thanks, Abby,” I replied. 

She gave me a hug and I squared my shoulders and walked up to the door. I peaked inside through the small window in the door and I felt tears spring up in my eyes. She looked so deflated, not an ounce of her strength or spirit showed.

I turned to look at everyone and said, “I thinking Indra and I should be the only ones to go in. It would be a bad idea if we all stepped in, crowding her.”

“I agree,” Indra replied and everyone nodded.

Clarke stood at the fringe of the small group and I could see how tense she held herself and the fear that wafted from her.

“Clarke, if this is too much,” I said, keeping my voice calm, “you can leave and we’d think nothing less of you.”

She shook her head and replied, “No. I need to be here. She needs to know that I’m here for her.”

“Okay, just keep your distance please. We can’t lose you.”

She nodded and I turned back to the door. I took one last look and walked through the door with Indra following me. We stayed near the door and crouched so that we would be at her level. After about five, ten minutes of waiting, she started to stir. We held ourselves completely still as she rolled over onto her belly. 

She shook her head and rubbed it with her paw, trying to dislodge the disc. She mad a noise in irritation and got up on shaky legs and proceeded to rub her head against the floor in an attempt to get rid of it.

I took a deep breath and sent a prayer before I said, “Nyx?”

Her head snapped around and she bared her teeth. The good news was that she didn’t immediately attack. I put my hands in front of me, showing that I meant no harm.

“Nyx, it’s okay. It’s just me and Indra. We’re not here to hurt you, we just want to talk, okay.”

She stood stock still, growling low.

“Nyx,” Indra said drawing her attention. “We need you to listen to us. If you stay like this, you’re going to go full wolf. None of us want to see that happen, Nyx.”

“We know that you didn’t mean to do it. That you didn’t mean to hurt Clarke, but she’s okay. She’s right outside the door waiting for you. She wants you back, Sis.”

At the sound of Clarke’s name, she stopped growling and started whimpering. Her body language betrayed the pain and sorrow she felt.

“Nyx, you need to talk to us or at least shift back. We can’t help you otherwise and we want to help you. You’re our family and we always look after family, right?”

She shook her head, making us sigh. A thought occurred to me and I decided to roll with it.

“So, you know our asshole friend, right? Well, Indra tore him a new one as soon as she got here.”

Indra smiled fondly and said, “I’d like to think I lit a fire under his ass. I told him that in no uncertain terms was he allowed anywhere near responsibility. I gave him the worst possible punishment I could think of. Standing 16 hour shifts guarding that one guy in jail. What was his name?”

“Jaha,” I supplied.

“Right. Jaha. That’s all he’s allowed to do. He’s been demoted and he’s back at being the lowest man on the totem pole. I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything worse then that, Nyx.”

“Oh, and there’s this awesome thing that happened a few days ago,” I said with a smile. “So, asshole has been making rounds apologizing to everyone on the Council and I mean everyone. The only thing that has done has made them dislike him even more, cuz he keeps sticking his foot deeper down his throat. Anyway, the other day he comes across Clarke. He starts in on his usual spiel about how sorry he was about doing it, blah, blah, blah. Then he goes ‘I didn’t know this would happen.’ And Clarke’s like ‘duh, she hasn’t been around in 8 yrs and you don’t know what she’s been through.’ He’s like, ‘I was in the hospital recovering when she was banished.’ Oh, that really started to tick her off. She calls him callous, btw I think that’s her favorite word at the moment, and that he was angry. He admits that he was angry and tries to lay on the guilt, you know garner sympathy. She was not having it, no sir, and now she’s real mad by this time. She tells him that he only wanted to make her feel what he had felt and that in the process shit turned ugly. Tells him that because he was rude, callous, see there’s that word again, inconsiderate, asshole, forced us into this current situation. By the time she gets to the end, she’s shooting lightning at his feet making him jump back to get her point across. The the piece de resistance, she told him that if it would bring you back, she’d kill him. Straight up, Sis. No lie. She’d kill him for you.”

I looked over at her after I’d finish my story and saw that she had sat down with her head cocked to the side, listening.

“When Dani and I heard what she’d done,” I said, still smiling, “we could not stop laughing our asses off. We hated that we weren’t there for the fireworks and there were fireworks. She did you proud, you know. She made us all proud of how she stood up to him. Oh, and Dani and I started baiting each other again. We ended up dragging Octavia into it. I think we damaged the back training arena. Oops.”

She shook her head in disappointment.

“I know. I’m sorry, but we fixed it. Sorta. Hey, you know you’re doing real good, right?”

She scratched behind her ear in irritation and looked at me balefully.

“Oh, right, that,” I said apologetically. “I don’t know if you remember, but you tried to get loose. You blew the door to your other room open and damaged the bunker on your way out. When we got you back here, Ben and Raven came up with a disc that would prevent you from using your powers. That’s that thing you keep trying to take off. The only thing it allows you is low level telepathy so that you can talk to us and the ability to shift. We had to do it to keep everyone safe. The plus side to that fiasco is that we don’t have to hide our abilities from the humans anymore.”

She had a hang dog expression and Indra said, “I know you’re sorry about that, Nyx, but it inspired Clarke to find a way to educate the humans about what happened on the surface when they went into the bunker 83 years ago. The classes start this afternoon. Now, listen to me, Nyx. We can see that you’ve come out of that hellhole he put you in. I need you to do us a favor, okay? It’s really important. I need you to shift. I need you to shift so that we don’t lose you. Can you do that for me? For us?”

She looked at the two of us and shook her head. She then got up and walked to a corner where she sat down and faced the corner. 

“Well, that’s a no,” I said sighing. “Nyx, will you at least talk to us?”

Her only answer was to place her head directly into the corner, nose pointing downward.

Indra got up and stretched her legs, “I think that’s all we’re going to get out of her today, Persephone.”

I got up and did the same. I looked at her and felt a single tear slide down my face. I absently wiped the tear away and then looked at Indra. She had the same look of sorrow that I felt.

“Come on, let’s go,” I said and left the room.

We walked to Abby’s office and everyone crowded into it.

“How’d it go,” she asked.

“She’s out of the memory/nightmare,” I replied. “She was able to understand what we told her and used body language to convey her response.”

“That’s a good thing,” she said. “It means the episode is past and she’ll start to recover.”

“I got the feeling she doesn’t want to recover.”

“Why do you say that?”

“When I told her that she needed to shift, her answer was to shake her head and sat in a corner not looking at us,” Indra replied. “She even refuses to talk. I tried to speak to her telepathically, but she’s still blocking. She knows that if she starts talking that way, it’ll open her up to Lexa’s command.”

“Thus allowing Lexa to make her shift,” Abby replied.

“Exactly.”

“Do I need to put her back into a coma?”

“No,” Indra answered. “Since she made no effort to make any kind of aggressive move there’s no need. Just in case, though, I’ve left a guard with a quadruple dosage of tranq darts. They’ll use them if there’s a need to.”

Abby nodded, “I guess the only thing that can be done from here, is to keep trying. What got her to respond anyway?”

“We told her about what’s been happening to Lincoln. The forced guard duty and what happened during Clarke’s encounter with him the other day,” I replied. “Also told her the reason why she was scratching behind her ear. She responded pretty well to that tidbit.”

“My suggestion would be to talk to her like that. Tell her about what happened the day before. Funny anecdotes. Things of that nature. Maybe keeping her in the loop will be beneficial.”

“Well, it certainly won’t hurt,” I said. “We’ll keep the visits to only on or two of us, so we don’t overwhelm her.”

“Sounds like you’ve got yourself a plan.”

“Now, it’s back to the world of training and reports,” Indra said and we all groaned in unison, even Clarke.

We said our goodbyes and like good little trainees, followed Indra back to the compound.


	29. Clarke

I washed up after lunch and headed down to the bunker. Kane and I would be the first two Council members to lead the class. I wasn’t really looking forward to it, but it had to be done. Someone had to be first.

I met Kane outside the classroom door and when he saw me, he asked, “You ready for this?”

“No, but it’s like a band-aid. You just have to rip it off in one motion and get it over with.”

“True, but we have 10 band-aids to rip off.”

“I think after the first five we won’t dread it as much,” I said with a small smile.

He smiled back at me and said, “That’s the Griffin spirit. They should be here shortly. Why don’t we go inside and make sure it’s set up.”

“Sure. And also make sure that there’s nothing in there to be used as a weapon beyond the seats.”

“Exactly,” he said and opened the door.

We did a little walk through and when we were done setting up the presentation, the first class arrived. They filed in looking at us and then back at the guards that stood by the door. I tried to give them a reassuring smile as Kane nodded in greeting. When the last of the humans arrived, one of the guards told me that they’d be right outside. I nodded and he left, closing the door.

As soon as he left, one of them asked, “What’s going on, Clarke?”

“Yeah, why are we here,” another asked.

“Are the rumors true,” asked another.

Kane held up his hands to stem the questions and said, “It’s alright. That’s why we’re here. To help you understand what’s happening.”

“What rumors are you asking about,” I asked.

“The rumors that these people can turn into wolves and have superpowers,” someone said.

“Those rumors are true. The people whose lands we are on are called the Forest Pack. They are werewolves and they do have powers.”

There was a sharp intake of breath and they looked at us with wide fearful eyes.

“They are not like what we’ve seen in old movies or fictional novels. They don’t go out terrorizing innocent people or killing them. They’re much like us except for the fact that they consume a large amount of fresh meat.”

“What kind of powers do they have,” a voice in the back asked.

“Different kinds, but don’t worry, we’ll get into that a little later,” I said.

“Now to the reason why you’re here,” Kane said. “A lot has changed since our people sealed the bunker 83 years ago. We’ve been able to collect information that will help you understand what’s going on. So, please, save your questions until the end.”

I turned on the video screen as Kane turned down the lights. As the video progressed, many of them sat mesmerized as they watched. There were the appropriate noises when they began hearing how humans became a subspecies and started dying off. They became irritated at how humans were portrayed, which we expected. At the end of the video, the lights came on and the questions started.

“Quiet,” Kane boomed. “We know you have a lot of questions and we want to answer them, but we need you to cooperate and ask one at a time.”

They grumbled, but one of them asked, “Is that video accurate?”

I nodded, “It is. From what the Apex understand of their own history and as it was written down. This is what happened. Something in the air genetically mutated the humans DNA and created wereanimals and mages. The humans have been dying off, but they are not sure why. We do have another presentation done by a healer who works exclusively on humans and has begun studying the reasons why.”

“Why are you referring to everyone as humans? Aren’t you like us with no powers?”

“No, I’m not. I’m Apex. I’m not a werewolf, but I do have a power. Now, we’re not sure why some of us came out with powers when we exited the bunker, we only know we did. We can only guess that the radiation started leaking about 25 years ago and started altering our DNA. So, some of us are werewolves and mages.”

“Are you an Apex, Kane?”

“Yes, but I’m a werewolf. There’s no pattern as to who is a mage and who’s a werewolf. From our people, there are 14 werewolves and 10 mages. The people that you chose to lead our people are all either werewolves or mages, with the exception of Bellamy. We chose him to represent you.”

“Does that mean that everyone locked up in the bunker are human?”

“Yes it does. And the reason why you are here and not on the surface is because there have been incidents that put our small number of Apex in danger,” I answered.

“So, even here Apex are treated with more respect than the rest of us.”

“Unfortunately, that’s correct. The Forest Pack’s liaison determined that we were in danger and as per her orders to keep Apex safe, had to call in reinforcements and place you under house arrest in the bunker.”

“She wasn’t happy about doing it,” Kane said. “Both herself and the leader of the Forest Pack wanted to keep it peaceful. They’re still hopeful that we can come up with a way to coexist.”

“What about the people who got sick? Will they continue to die?”

“No. They created a neurotoxin that’s meant to incapacitate Apex for a short period of time. They didn’t know that we were humans and they never bothered to test the effects it may have on them. When they learned what it had done, they began working on a cure. Those that were affected by the toxin have all received the cure and are on their way to a full recovery. I’m here because of the cure.”

“Are the rest of the Council better as well?”

“They are. We do have a presentation to show you exactly how the cure works, but it does have an unusual side effect.”

“What’s the side effect?”

“Some of those that were affected by the neurotoxin and then received the cure will become Apex,” I replied. “Just like my mother and Kane. We don’t know who will change and who will stay human. It’ll be at least another three weeks before we’ll start seeing the change on the brain scans.”

“Can you show us?”

“Of course. What you’re about to see is a simulated brain scan of someone affected by the neurotoxin and then given the cure.”

We started it off and then stopped it when the brain became clear.

“This is where the cure has succeeded and people are fully recovered. As you can see, it takes roughly a month. With what my mother and Jackson have seen in those recovering, this is an accurate depiction.”

As we progressed, the areas began to become active until there was a steady bright color.

“The computer calculated that there was a 60-85% chance of our people becoming Apex.”

“Which means that at least half of them will become Apex.”

“That’s right.”

“Will we begin dying off like the rest of the humans that have been on the surface?”

“We don’t know the answer to that question. If we’re at the beginning of where Apex began appearing, it’ll be at least 25 years before a we see any drastic results, if there are any. So, it’s safe to theorize that most of us will be in our fifties or older when if it begins to happen or if any of the children that are born during the next 25 years will also be affected.”

“What’s causing them to die?”

“Here, let’s show you the study that the healer has conducted. She promised that she’s kept it in laymen’s terms without all the scientific words that we don’t understand,” Kane said.

True to her word, Scarlett kept it simple enough to understand ending that there was no way to predict who would die. Children, adults, and geriatrics have all succumbed to heart failure.

“Well, at least it’s not a horrible way to go, unlike dying from the neurotoxin,” someone said.

“It still sucks,” someone else said and got a small amount of laughter from the class.

“So, out of curiosity, what kind of powers do you two have?”

“I’m a lightning mage and Kane is a wind or air mage,” I said.

“Can you show us?”

“If that’s what all of you want to see?”

Everyone said yes and I created a ball of lightning in my hand that showered sparks off of it. They looked on stunned and enthralled as I brought it back in.

“Mine on the other hand, is way less impressive and harder to show since it deals with air manipulation,” Kane said with a chuckle.

They joined in the laughter and then someone in the class asked the one question that I had been dreading.

“If humans are dying off and there’s not many left, what does that mean for us?”

“That’s the question of the century,” I said. “Our camp holds the largest amount of humans this world has seen in a long time. Because of that, the Forest Pack leader and her Council don’t know exactly what to do. Killing all of you would be the simple answer to that question, but none of them want to commit mass genocide. So, your lives are safe. Having such a large community of humans poses a threat to the Forest Pack. From what we’ve been explained, the Coalition, who is their government, may not be keen on having such a large mass of humans in a single territory. If we keep you together, it could seem that the Forest Pack has become a sanctuary for humans to live in or that their amassing an army of humans to wage war on whomever. You could be dispersed throughout the territory into manageable groups. We just don’t know, but we do know is that we want to keep the Coalition out and come to something that we can all live with.”

“And in our case, the truly major hiccup is how do we survive if no one sees us as having authority.”

“Yes. Staying here may afford you the ability to survive, but you’d have to rely either on yourselves or the kindness of a pack. As it stands right now, you’re technically ‘owned’ by the Manassas Pack in order to ensure your safety at the moment. That’s what many of the humans outside of the pack territories have done to survive, become slaves to the Apex. Not a pleasant thought or experience. It leaves them at the mercy of their ‘masters.’ Ugh, I really hate having to describe it that way. Makes me feel like we’re back in the 1800s and not in the 22nd Century.”

“We don’t like it either.”

“The purpose for this class,” Kane said, “is to educate everyone on what happened after the apocalypse and have these kinds of discussions. The Forest Pack does not want to harm any of you and would rather have a peace summit to discuss your future. They want to make sure you’re safe and that you survive for ever how long possible. But at the same time, they want to make sure you won’t harm the Apex that are here. You vastly outnumber us. We could easily kill all of you and that is not what we want to do. So, please, we know that you’re going to be questioned by everyone else, try to drive home the fact that we don’t want to harm anyone and that we are working on a goal that saves everyone.”

“We know that there will be people that hate this, hate us,” I said. “Especially, when they learn that people without powers, humans, are treated like garbage outside this camp. Like Kane said, we want everyone to be safe and end this so that we can all get on with our lives.”

“I have one last question. What’s happened to Jaha if he’s fully recovered?”

I sighed, but it was Kane who answered, “He threatened the lives of Apex and the council. Because of his threats he’s been put into solitary until such time as he is willing to accept the way the world works now. He presents a danger to everyone, not just Apex.”

“And Bellamy is our representative?”

“Yes,” I replied. “If you have questions or concerns, he is the person you go to so that they may be brought to the Council’s attention. Whatever issues you have, we will treat them with respect and try to come up with an amicable solution.”

“Well, you’ve never done us any wrong, Clarke, so I think it’s safe to say that we can respect that.”

“Thank you.”

“Now, if there are no more questions, I’m afraid our time is up and you’ll be escorted back.”

They got up and filed out the door. I breathed a sigh of relief and sat on the desk.

“That went a lot better than I hoped,” Kane said.

“You and me both,” I replied. “I was expecting a lot more disdain and anger.”

“I think it helped that we were truthful and didn’t try to sugarcoat anything.”

“It could be. It’s something that we should pass on to the other Council members when it’s their time to lead the class.”

“I agree. Do you think we should convene a council meeting to discuss what transpired?”

“I guess. Hopefully, we can keep it short and sweet. I’m getting tired from the tension I had during the class.”

He chuckled, “I completely understand that feeling. I’ll set up the meeting. You should go get something to eat.”

“Sounds good. I’ll see you in a bit.”

I got up and left, heading back to the compound. The council meeting went well and everyone came out of it more relaxed. Bellamy grumbled about having the possibility of enduring hours of listening to people lodge complaints, but was also grateful that we entrusted him to get the job done. He seemed to need a lot of that kind of reassurance and none of us would deny him that until he built up enough confidence that he didn’t need the constant reminders.

 

The next morning, I snuck out of the compound to see Nyx. I couldn’t put it off any longer. I needed to see her and talk to her. I didn’t want to continue to be afraid of her. I cornered the Chef who prepared the meals for the pack and left carrying a basket of seared steaks and a small breakfast for myself. 

When I neared her door, I hesitated, suddenly unsure of myself. But I gritted my teeth and the guards let me in. I stayed by the door and watched Nyx for a little while. It was weird that she hadn’t woken up when the door opened and closed, but I had a feeling that she was pretending to be asleep.

“I know you’re faking, Nyx,” I said calmly. “There’s no way that the sound of the door or the smell of the food I brought wouldn’t have woken you.”

She sighed and shifted so that we could look at one another. She whined at me, but didn’t really move. I pulled out the steaks and hesitantly made my way to the middle of the space between us. She got up and walked backwards, away from me. I couldn’t tell if it was out of respect of the fear I felt or that she didn’t want to come close to me. I put the plate down and retreated to the door. I sat down and took out my own breakfast.

“Since it’s early, I thought that we could share breakfast,” I said and to prove my point, I took a bite of the fruit salad I had been given.

She cautiously made her way to the meat and after sniffing it, she grabbed a steak and retreated a bit to eat it.

“I had to sneak out of the compound to come here. I knew that if anyone saw me, they’d try to keep me from coming here. I know they mean well, but I needed to come see you. I’m having nightmares about what happened and if you couldn’t tell, it’s hard for me to be here.”

She whined a bit and I knew she was sorry.

“I know you’re sorry for what happened. I don’t blame you. I blame Lincoln. Sephy told you what happened between him and me. When it was over, the adrenaline just left and I felt sick. I hid in a closet so that I could calm down. It felt good to give him what he deserved. I think I even surprised myself that I was that pissed to aim lightning at his feet. I could hear the other guards laughing at the show, but they were laughing at him and not at me. Mom of course, knew something had happened, so I told her. She was rather impressed. And apparently everyone else was, too.”

I took a few more bites of fruit and drank some water before I continued.

“Yesterday we led our first history lesson and Q&A with the humans. Kane and I were surprised how well it went. I think they left satisfied with our answers. I know that yesterday was probably a fluke and we had the ones that were pretty much open minded as to what was going on. I even demonstrated my power and they didn’t freak out as bad as I thought they would. It made me feel better. Then we had a council meeting about what we experienced with the class and told everyone that the best approach seemed to be to answer truthfully and respectfully.”

I paused to let it sink into her as I watched her eat. She’d look up at me on occasion and I could see the sorrow in her eyes.

“I still love you, Nyx. That hasn’t changed. I really want you to get better and shift back into your human form. This is really hard on everyone. They think you’re doing this so that you’ll go full wolf to punish yourself. We know you feel guilty, but none of us want you to disappear, especially me.”

She whined a bit and backed up.

“Hey, it’s alright. I’m not going to push you. I’m just telling you how everybody feels and how I feel. I know you regressed and thought you were back there and I know who’s really to blame. I’m not blaming you. Do you remember that moment where I woke up and saw you sitting there with your knees drawn up and your head laying on them as you looked out the window. I immediately wanted to draw you. You were so beautiful in that one moment and I wanted to treasure it always. I wanted to treasure you always. Still do. I did take the time to draw it, even the tattoos on your back. Which by the way are beautifully done. Your tattoo artist is really good. Dani explained who the people on your shoulders are and I think that it’s cool of you to remember them like that, especially when you thought you’d never see Sephy again and that you missed your big brother. The phoenix on the other hand confused Dani. She has no idea what it represents. I’d like to know what it represents. She was also wondering why your mother wasn’t on your back, but figured she was on your arm sleeve.”

I stopped and ate some more and watched through my eyelashes as she crept closer. I hid a smile and ate.

“You want some of the fruit,” I asked. “I think the mess chef put another bowl in here, if you’d like some.”

She nodded and I took it and slid it over to her. Some of the fruit bounced out, but she got them and dragged the bowl closer to the plate. It was kind of funny watching her eat the fruit and I let out a giggle. She looked at me and I could just make out the fact that she quirked an eyebrow.

“I’m sorry, it’s just weird to watch you eat fruit. It’s like the people who chew with their mouth open. Of course, it’s more disgusting to watch them do it, but not you. Here, he also gave me a big bowl of water,” I said and got it out, though this time I carried over to her.

“God, it just occurred to me. How are you talking care of business now? I mean, I don’t see anywhere that you could use, which makes me think that they put you on a leash and walk you around until your done. That seems kind of embarrassing to me. Very undignified, too. You must be miserable having to endure that.”

She gave me a look that told me exactly how she felt and it made me chuckle.

“Oh, I do have something that I wish that we could really talk about instead of this one sided conversation. How do I put this, um, Dani has been flirting with me.”

She looked up at me sharply and then made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle and shook her head side to side.

“You’re not surprised. Indra made it seem like she’s a constant flirt, but I haven’t noticed that she flirts with anyone else. Just me. Anyway, she told me that she feels the same pull as you’ve described to Gaia and Sephy. That really threw me for a loop. That’s when she really started flirting. I don’t know how to handle it, Nyx. It really doesn’t help that I kind of get hot and bothered as soon as she flirts with me. Is that normal? Or why is this happening to me? I know you’ve explained that the women you frequently have sex with are the women you love, but I’m not a werewolf. Why am I feeling the same draw to her, but on a lesser level than I do with you? This is all very confusing, Nyx.”

I could tell she wanted to talk to me about this, but she was afraid to.

I sighed and said, “So, you still want to go full wolf, huh? Just leave me here to muddle through all of this myself. You’d be running away, Nyx. That’s not who you are. You pushed through the guilt and pain of what happened 8 years ago. I know that you frequently had nightmares and had to take medication, but you got better because you faced it. You’ve got to face this, too. So, do I. At least I’m making the effort.”

She whined again and belly crawled to me.

“Don’t keep trying that on me, Nyx. Do you know how many people you would destroy if you went full wolf. Sephy, your mom, Dani, Scarlett, Lexa, Indra, me, and my god, Ben. Do you really want to put us through that? Isn’t that just a bit cruel? Selfish? And all because you don’t want to face what happened.”

She sighed and looked at me long and hard as if she was making a decision.

She shook her head and she spoke, _I’m afraid._

I looked at her, taken aback by the simple fact of her speaking.

“What are you afraid of?”

_That I’ll do it again and that next time there will be no one to stop me. I want to die, Clarke. I don’t want to hurt you like that again. I remember what I did. Sorry isn’t adequate enough to tell you how bad I feel. I hate myself for letting him get to me._

“Look, there’s no guarantee that you will or you won’t. There’s no sure answer for it. You’ll probably start having nightmares frequently again, but this time you’re really not alone. This time, you are surrounded by people who love and support you. We’re not going to turn our backs on you. Even if you do have to start taking medication again to help you get through it. You’re not the first one to have experienced such traumatic events. I’m sure in those long ago wars that people who dropped bombs down from the sky into a crowded town, felt like you do. Or those that survived only to find out that they’re the only ones that made it. Sure some of them killed themselves, but others got the help they needed and learned to live with the memories and were able to function again. You can, too. You’ve proven it already once. Why not, this time?”

_I want to believe you, Clarke. I really do. A part of me wants to get through this, but it’s such a small part. The rest of me wants to either die or turn into a wolf permanently._

“And screw everyone else, right? You know that’s the coward’s way out?”

She hung her head, _I know. I’m a coward for not wanting to face this, but the guilt is overwhelming._

“You’ve got to try, Nyx. If you won’t do it yourself, do it for us. Please, I can’t lose you. Not like this. I want to grow old with you, Nyx. I love you with my entire being,” I said and hugged her. “Please don’t leave me alone.”

She whined as she felt my tears fall on her fur.

_I don’t want to leave you alone, Clarke. I don’t want to leave anybody alone ever again._

“Then fight, Nyx. For us, please fight.”

For a long moment I held her and then I felt her body shudder and suddenly she was holding me. I sobbed harder and she joined in. When the tears dried, I leaned back and looked at her face. There was still so much guilt and pain, but I didn’t care in that moment. I only cared that she had come back to me. I took her head and crushed her mouth with mine, kissing her with a passion I had never felt. She held herself stiff for a long moment and the she wrapped her arms around me and was kissing me back with as much passion. We ended it when we became breathless and were gasping for air, our foreheads touching and our hands running over each other’s bodies.

“You know they probably saw this, Nyx,” I said with a chuckle.

“That’s alright. I guess I’ve done enough wallowing. Thank you,” she said as she brought my head up for a much gentler kiss.

“Oh, god, how I have missed you,” I said.

“I was so afraid that I hurt you so bad that you’d never want to see me again. That you wished that I would die,” she said as her voice cracked and tears slid down her face.

“There was a small part of me that did wish that, but my love of you pushed those thoughts quickly aside. I love you, Nyx Allistar. With all of your flaws. I love you with my all of my soul.”

“And I you, Clarke. You are my everything.”

“Good, but what am I to do with Dani? Why the hell am I even attracted to her?”

“Part of it is Dani being Dani, but if you both are feeling that pull, it means that there really is something very special about you.”

“Don’t tell me I’ve been dragged into whatever Mother Earth has planned with you. I don’t think I’d like a Goddess meddling in my life, especially if it’s as unpredictable as she’s been with you.”

She laughed, “That would be something and ironic. All the women I love are part of a great conspiracy that Mother Earth has concocted.”

“Don’t even joke about that,” I said, slapping her arm slightly.

“My ass is cold and going numb,” she said randomly.

I smiled, “I bet it is. Will you stay you, if I leave and get you some clothes?”

“Mm-hm, as long as I’m not bombarded by our friends suddenly, I won’t shift.”

I kissed her and said, “Okay. I’ll let the guards know not to let anyone in while I’m gone, but you know I can’t prevent them from talking to you telepathically.”

“I’ll just keep them blocked out for the time being,” she said sighing. “Just hurry back, please.”

“I will,” I said and gave her a last kiss before I stood up and left the room.

I informed the guards and they assured me that they’ll make sure no one comes or goes. I thanked them and took off running to look for something suitable for her to wear. When I got back, no one had appeared yet and I was relieved to see it. The guards let me back in and I had to look around before I spotted her in the far corner. 

“You don’t have to do that, you know,” I said walking over to her and handing her the clothes.

“The guards peaked inside,” she said as she pulled them on. “Made me nervous. Like I’m on display.”

“Mm, I can understand that,” I said and pulled her into a hug which she returned with exuberance. “Now, we need to talk about what happens next, Nyx.”

“I don’t think I’m comfortable yet leaving this room. I’m not ready to face everybody,” she said as she sat back on the ground.

“Okay. That’s probably what my mom would suggest. I would also suggest we keep the disc inhibitor on you for a while longer, in case there’s any flare ups.”

She nodded, “That would be smart. Though it feels weird not to feel my powers.”

“Yeah, Kane didn’t like it either.”

She chuckled.

“I am going to have to change rooms, though. I need a toilet and sink. No mirrors though.”

I nodded, “I’ll have mom arrange it.”

She pulled me to her so that I sat between her legs and encircled me with her arms. I melted into her and laid my head on her shoulder, enjoying the feel of her again. 

“I wish we could sit like this forever,” she said softly.

I chuckled, “You can’t be serious. Our lower bodies would lose all feeling in them. Nah, I prefer a bed.”

She chuckled and moved my hair aside so that she could kiss my neck. I leaned into her and turned my neck to allow her more access. One hand slid under my shirt and traveled until she was cupping my breast. Her other arm tightened to bring me closer. I closed my eyes in pleasure as she teased the spot behind my ear. I reached up and held her head as I moved slightly away from her and brought her lips to mine. I decided that the way we were wasn’t enough, so I turned and faced her, bringing her mouth to mine once more. Her hands slid around my back, pulling me close as my arms encircled her neck and my fingers weaved themselves in her hair. She broke the kiss and her mouth traveled down my throat, nipping it lightly making me shiver. I gasped when she found a sensitive spot and then she continued downward, leaning me back. I felt the familiar pull and wanted her to never stop what she was doing. 

The world had other plans for us, though. My communicator went off, making Nyx pause.

“Forget it. Whoever it is can wait,” I said breathlessly.

She continued, but it went off again.

“You should answer, _niron_ ,” she said as she lifted her face to look at me.

“ _Niron?_ ”

“Lover,” she replied with a smile that made me blush.

Again the damn thing went off. I sat up straighter and growled in frustration, but stopped what I was doing and answered the damn thing.

“What is it,” I said in irritation.

“Clarke, where are you,” mom’s voice asked. “No one knows where you are.”

I leaned my head on her chest and felt a low chuckle vibrate through it.

“I’m with Nyx,” I answered.

“You’re where,” my mother screeched loud enough that I pulled it away from us. “Did you lose your mind, Clarke?! Nyx is dangerous!”

“Geez, Mom. Thanks for the vote of confidence. Nyx at this moment is not dangerous.”

Nyx decided to take the opportunity that I presented her and began kissing the back of my neck, making me close my eyes and shudder in pleasure.

“Oh, of course she’s not,” she said exasperated. “You know very well that can change any second.”

I pushed her slightly away and looking at her, I quirked an eyebrow in question. She shook her head with a smile and took the hand that I pushed her back with and kissed the palm. She was really starting to make me forget how to think coherently. With a heavy sigh, I took my hand away and pushed her against the wall to keep her away from me while I talked with Mom. I shook my head at her and she pouted, but stayed put.

“Mom, look,” I said as calmly as I could muster, “I came down here without telling anyone because they would’ve freaked like you’re doing now. It’s been a week and I needed to see her. Confront my fear. I had a heart to heart talk with her over breakfast. She willingly started talking to me and shifted. We’ve been talking.”

“She did what,” she screeched again and we both winced at the feedback.

Nyx must have had more sensitive hearing because she covered her ears as she shook her head to clear it of the noise. I leaned over and kissed her briefly in sympathy and turned my attention back to mom.

“She has shifted and she is talking in a coherent and clear manner,” I told her and rolled my eyes, making Nyx giggle.

I smacked her, which made her giggle harder.

“Is that Nyx,” mom asked.

I sighed, “Yes, Mom. She’s just being silly.”

I smiled when she suddenly pouted, so I reached over and tweaked her nose and made her laugh. Satisfied, I turned my back to her and she immediately wrapped her arms around my waist and pulled me to her. I leaned back and she just laid her chin on my shoulder.

“Alright,” she said. “I’m coming down. Don’t either of you move, do you understand me?”

“Yes, Mom. I understand. Just don’t tell anyone yet, please. She doesn’t want to be rushed by people or voices.”

“At least she’s smart about that. I’ll be there shortly.”

“Alright,” I said and laid the communicator on the ground next to us. “You know, she’s going to think you’ve lost your marbles, giggling like that.”

“You shouldn’t have rolled your eyes at me,” she said as she nipped my earlobe.

“Stop that,” I said, but didn’t move away. “We have to be serious right now. Grown up. We have to adult.”

“Oh, I’ll adult alright,” she whispered. “I’ll adult you right out of your clothes.”

“Not two hours back and you’re already trying to get me undressed.”

“To be fair, you were making it really easy,” she said chuckling.

“Hmph. Okay, I missed you. All of you,” I said as I relaxed into her.

“I must be doing something right, if you missed me after only a week.”

“Oh, hush,” I replied. “It’s been a very stressful week.”

“And you need to get rid of the stress and tension.”

“Exactly.”

“You could always ask Dani to help you with that. She has some very magic fingers and what she can do with wind, mmm, you’d love it,” she said dreamily.

“I do not need to hear about your sexual escapades with Dani, Nyx.”

She smiled, “Why? Making you jealous? Or is it that you’re starting to fantasize?”

“Nyx, knock it off,” I said huffing, “This is getting out of hand.”

She sighed and gave me a quick peck on the head, “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ll behave.”

“Good, because Mom should be here any second.”

“I’m in trouble, aren’t I?”

“We both are, so brace yourself.”

We sat silently as we waited and did nothing more than take comfort from one another. I felt her chest begin to vibrate, almost like she was going to growl, but it was much softer and pleasant.

“Nyx, why is your chest vibrating,” I asked her confused.

It immediately stopped when she replied, “My chest was vibrating?”

I nodded, “Yeah. Almost like a growl, but very different. It was actually quite pleasant.”

“Huh. No one’s ever told me that my chest vibrates like that. Wonder why?”

“Another mystery to add the the woman known as Nyx Allistar?”

“Sounds like it,” she said sighing. “Your mother is taking her sweet ass time getting here.”

“Yeah, she is,” I said thinking. “She’s up to something. Let me check something.”

I picked up the communicator and called her.

“Yes, Clarke,” she said sounding breathless. “I will be there in a minute.”

“Mom, you sound weird,” I said. “Like you’re out of breath.”

“What? No, I am fine. Just bringing some equipment down with me. It took a while to find everything.”

Nyx nudged me and when I looked at her, she mouthed, “She’s lying.” I nodded.

“Mom, you’re lying,” I told her. “I can tell. What are you really up to? You didn’t tell anybody, did you?”

“Well, I…”

“Mom, I told you not to tell anyone! She can’t handle a lot of people or voices in her head. If they come in here, they’ll undo the work I just did. I can already feel her tensing up with anxiety. Please send everyone away. I’m begging you,” I pleaded.

I really could feel Nyx tense up and she was emitting a low growl in her throat. 

“Calm down, Nyx,” I said soothingly. “I’m not going to let anyone near you, okay? Just focus on me. The way I feel in your arms. How good it feels.”

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she tightened her hold around me and buried her head in the back of my neck. I stroked her leg to soothe her.

“Mom, I’m serious. I’ve got her barely calmed down,” I told her. “If anyone else tries to come in with you, I won’t hesitate to knock them on their asses with my lightning.”

“Can you at least let Indra or Persephone come in with me?”

I felt her shake her head no and I said, “Absolutely not, Mom. Only you can come in. I also know that she’s still blocking any telepathic communication, so they can quit trying.”

“Alright, Clarke. They’re leaving.”

I felt her nod, letting me know it was the truth and I said, “Thank you.”

“I’ll be there in a couple of minutes,” she said sighing.

“We’ll be here,” I told her and ended the call and focused on Nyx, “Hey, how could you tell if she was lying or not?”

“Tonal inflections,” she replied, voice muffled by my neck. “I could here it in the pitch of her voice. Interrogation training.”

“I thought something was off. How are you doing?”

“Not good. Just give a minute or two. I’ve got it nearly back under control,” she said as I felt a tear hit my neck.

I turned around and held her in my arms, she relaxed and let more tears fall as she got her breathing under control. A minute later, there was a knock on the door and a guard opened it to let my mother through. I glared at her over my shoulder and she looked at me apologetically.

“I’m sorry, Clarke,” she said as the guard closed the door. “I…it’s just when you told me that you were in here with her, my first thought was to bring people here that could keep you safe.”

“Mom, I’m quite capable of keeping myself safe. It’s also why we have guards stationed outside the doors with tranqs that have 4x the normal dosage. When are you going to learn to trust my judgement?”

“I want to, Clarke, but after what happened to you barely a week ago, it’s difficult.”

“I wouldn’t have come down here if I thought I couldn’t handle it. Yes, I was scared. Yes, I moved backwards when ever she moved towards me. Yet, as you can quite clearly see, I’m kinda over it.”

She nodded and asked, “Can I come closer?”

I looked at Nyx and asked softly, “Can she?”

“I, I think so,” she whispered back. “Just make sure she doesn’t make any sudden moves.”

“Alright,” I said and told my mom, “You can come closer, just don’t make any sudden moves. She’s still skittish.”

She nodded and approached slowly until she was a couple of feet from us and kneeled down.

“Nyx, honey,” she said soothingly, “I’d like to check your vitals. Will you let me do that?”

Nyx took a deep breath and looked up at her for a moment then she let me go and scooted around me. I turned to watch, keeping my eyes glued to Nyx.

“Okay, Abby,” she said quietly, her voice just barely above a whisper. “You can check my vitals. Just keep it slow, please. I’m still calming down.”

“Thank you, Nyx,” she replied and held out her hand.

Nyx hesitantly reached her own hand out and laid it on her’s. Mom took a vital cuff and placed it around her wrist and clicked it shut, making Nyx wince. Mom eyes glanced at her face, but didn’t say anything and just focused on the cuff. When it beeped, she removed it and got a tablet to pair with the cuff.

She smiled at Nyx and said, “Everything is looking good, Nyx. You’re heart rate is still high, but we know why. How are you feeling?”

“Mentally or physically?”

“How about both.”

“Physically, I’m fine. I’ve got a slight headache and feeling disoriented, but I think it’s from the disc inhibitor. Mentally, I’m not sure how I’m doing. My mind feels jumbled and dark and very conflicted. I think that the only reason why I’m doing this well is because Clarke is keeping me grounded,” she answered truthfully.

“So, she’s your anchor.”

“I guess you could say that,” she said unsure.

“How are you feeling now that you’re not physically touching her?”

“Um, just a little bit anxious, nervous.”

“Do you think you could move a bit more away from her?”

“Um, I don’t know,” she said confused.

“I would like you to try,” mom said. “I would like you to move as far as you comfortably can before you need to be by her again. Can you try that?”

Nyx looked at me panicked and I said reassuringly, “I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here.”

She nodded and taking a deep breath, got to her feet and walked slowly away from us. She made it maybe ten feet from me when the door burst opened and a guard entered and aimed a rifle at her. She immediately shifted and dove behind me. 

“What the hell is going on,” I yelled at mom.

“You need to move out of the way, Clarke,” she replied. “It’s for your safety.”

“Like hell it is! I trusted you! I’m not going to let you hurt her.”

“Clarke, be reasonable. She’s just coming out of mental break. You saw what just happened. She’s still not well enough for you to be down here alone with her.”

“I was perfectly safe until you decided to bring people with you! Then you just had to have a guard burst through the damn door and try to tranq her! She only did this because you pushed her over the edge!”

“Ma’am, I’m going to have to ask you to step away from her,” the guard said coldly, still aiming the rifle in Nyx’s direction.

“Like hell I am. If either of you take one step closer, I will shock you to next week” I said and lit my hand up to prove my point.

Nyx whimpered and whined behind me and I could feel her body shivering in fear.

“If I get them to go away, will you shift back,” I asked her quietly as I kept my eyes on the guard and my mom.

She didn’t talk to me, but pressed her body into the back of my legs. I sighed in frustration. If I couldn’t get this situation under control, it could be another week or more before she’d be willing to open up again.

“Great,” I said to Mom. “Thanks to you, I don’t think she’ll want to speak or shift again for days or weeks, maybe. All you had to do was trust me, Mom. That was it. That’s all you had to do.”

“Clarke, you don’t know what you’re doing. She could kill you,” she said trying to get me to see it her way.

“If she wanted to kill me, she’d have done it as soon as I came through that door. She didn’t. No one else has been able to get through to her, but I did. It doesn’t matter how I did it, just that I did. So, yes. I do know what I’m doing. So the two of you need to back off, right now. I’m not playing games.”

To emphasize my point, I shot the cart my mom had pushed in with lightning, make everything fly off. Mom screamed and the guard quickly backed away.

“Now,” I said, evenly, “I suggest you two remove yourselves from this room so that I can get her calmed down again.”

The guard looked over at Mom and she nodded. He left keeping his rifled trained at Nyx.

Mom tried one last time, “Clarke, be reasonable, please.”

“I am being reasonable, Mom,” I replied, my voice sounding cold. “I had it under control and you thought just because I’m your daughter you knew more than me. I am 23 years old. I am the leader of the mages. I am the leader of the Council. I gained the trust of the leaders of the territory. Not you. Not Kane. Not Jaha. I did what I had to do, just like I’m doing now. So, I will not ask again. I am telling you to remove yourself from this room and I better not hear you trying to undermine my authority ever again.”

“Clarke, I…”

“Leave. Now!”

She dropped her head and walked out of the room. I walked quickly over and made sure that there was no one else waiting outside. I rushed back over to Nyx and sitting down, pulled her onto my lap. It was a long while before Nyx finally stopped shivering, but she made no effort to move off of me, so I just sat there petting her.

“Nyx, sweetheart,” I said softly. “Will you talk with me? Or shift?”

A soft growl emerged letting me know that she wasn’t ready.

“Alright. Then do you mind if I get a little more comfortable and lean my back against the wall?”

She got off of me slowly and I stood up to get some feeling back in my legs before I walked over and sat back down. She came over and laid her head on my lap. I stroked her as I tried to figure out what to do. The only thing I was sure of was that it looked like I needed to stay down here with her.

“Nyx, would you allow me to leave,” I asked.

She opened an eye and looked at me for a moment then shook her head no. I sighed and began to plan. Since she didn’t want me to leave, I needed to make sure that at least I was comfortable. 

Picking up the communicator, I called Jackson.

“Clarke,” he said. “Your mother told me what happened. I’m so sorry. Is Nyx okay?”

“No, Jackson. She isn’t. That’s why I called you,” I replied.

“Oh. Okay. What did you need?”

“I need you to set up a room for me. Bed, bathroom with no mirror, a small cot, table and chairs, and a computer with a video feed. Can you do it?”

“Yeah, sure. Do you mind me asking why?”

“She’s not going to let me leave right now. I feel it’s in everyone’s best interest if I stay with her until she’s willing to shift and talk with us again. Mom pretty much blew up the work I was able to do this morning.”

“Ah, I see. Consider it done.”

“Thank you. Just let me know when it’s ready.”

“Will do and I’ll come and escort you myself.”

“Thanks.”

“I’ll talk to you in a bit.”

I leaned back against the wall and closed my eyes as I continued to stroke Nyx’s head. We must have fallen asleep because when the communicator beeped, we both startled awake. Nyx growled and I laid a comforting hand on her head to quiet her.

I answered the communicator, “Yeah?”

“It’s Jackson,” he said. “Sorry it took so long, but the room is ready for you guys.”

“Great,” I replied. “Thank you.”

“Your welcome. I’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”

“See you.”

I looked down at her and said, “Okay, we’re going to move to another room. That way we’ll both be more comfortable. It should only be Jackson and the door guards outside the door, so just try and stay calm. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you or take you away from me. Do you trust me?”

She nodded and got up. Using the wall for support I stood up and stretched, wincing as I got feeling back into my butt. There was a knock on the door and I walked cautiously over and peaked through the window. It was Jackson and he smiled and waved at me when he saw me looking out. I nodded and turned to Nyx. She walked over and leaned heavily against me when the door opened up. She was large enough that I could bury my hand easily into her neck, which I did and we left the room to follow Jackson.

“Jackson, where are we going,” I asked when I noticed we were moving further away from where the hospital rooms were.

“I figured that the hospital rooms could only provide so much and that your staying here might be a tad long, so I found living quarters outside the quarantine area. One bedroom, living area, kitchen, and bathroom. It’s already loaded up with groceries, clothes for you and Nyx, and a computer with a video feed. That’s why it took so long,” He answered.

“Wow, that was nice of you.”

He shook his head, “I think that what Abby did was wrong in her approach. I mean, I understand that she meant well, but you understand more about what’s going on then she does. If you say that you’re not in any danger, I’ll believe that you aren’t but I’ll keep a close eye on the situation if things go bad.”

“Can you convince Mom of that? It’s like, just because of this one incident and the freak out I had afterwards deemed me unstable and unable to make decisions of my own.”

“It was terrifying to witness, Clarke,” he said. “I’m just glad that the two of you are on the mend and that your feelings for Nyx haven’t changed.”

“Thanks. It means a lot.”

He looked over at me and smiled, “You’re strong, Clarke. If you weren’t, we’d never gotten this far. The council trusts you, it’s time the old council does too.”

We walked further in silence and I continued to reassure Nyx through my touch that nothing bad was going to happen. We reached the door and Jackson gallantly opened it up and let us enter first. He followed us in and shut the door behind us. I walked around with Nyx so she could get used to it, unfortunately it was much what you would do when introducing a new pet into your home. When we came back out into the living area, Jackson was waiting patiently.

I smiled and said, “Thanks, Jackson. This will work out real well.”

He smiled in return, “That’s what I hoped. The mirrors are all taken down. I’ve also removed most sharp implements except what would be needed to cook.”

“That’s good. Thank you again.”

“Your welcome,” he said and then his eyes widened. “Oh, I know you haven’t really had a chance to practice your powers, but I can help you set up a ward over the door so that only you can come through.”

With relief, I said, “Oh, could you? I was hoping that I’d learned that by now, but I haven’t exactly had the time.”

“Sure, just give me a minute,” he said and turned to face the door. 

I watched as he walked up to the door and held up his hand up. Closing his eyes, I could feel a little peak of energy and then he turned to me. I walked up until I felt the push and said the phrase. I stepped back and Jackson finished up.

He turned to me with a grin and said, “You’re all set, Clarke. There’s already a meal ready for the two of you. Figured you’d both be hungry by now. Just don’t close us off, okay?”

“Don’t worry, I won’t do that,” I said with a grin. “I’ll keep the council informed on her progress.”

“That’s what I wanted to hear. I shall leave you to it then,” he said and left the room. 

I immediately set the ward and then flopped down on the couch and closed my eyes. Nyx jumped up next to me and laid her head on my lap. I absently stroked her fur as I let my mind wonder.

“You know you’re going to have to talk to me sometime, Nyx.”

She huffed.

“You were doing real good this morning. Don’t let this one incident drive us back a week, love.”

She sighed and only made herself more comfortable. 

“As much as you don’t want to admit it, but we can’t stay down here forever. We have people that depend on us.”

She said nothing, so I sighed and sat up.

I looked down at her and said, “I don’t like to have these one sided conversations, Nyx. If you continue to act like this, I don’t know what else we can do.”

She ignored me and I slid out from under her and stood up. She immediately snapped to attention and watched me.

“Don’t worry,” I said. “I’m only going to take a shower. Too bad you want to stay in wolf form. I wouldn’t mind the company.”

She whined and I just shook my head. Grabbing a towel, I went and started the shower. I took my time washing, hoping that she’d join me. She never did and I spent the rest of my time crying softly because of it. I got out when I felt the tears ease. 

Wrapping the towel around me, I opened the door and found Nyx laying across the doorway. She whined when she noticed me looking down at her. I ignored it and stepped over her and headed to the bedroom. I heard her follow me into the bedroom. I purposefully laid the towel on the bed and walked over to the closet to look for something to wear. I didn’t look behind me, but I did hear her whine again. I shook my head and continued to ignore her as I dressed. I kept up the act as I grabbed the food that someone had made for us. The meat had been seared and was still warm, so I put them on a plate and put it down for her to eat. I warmed my plate up and took it over to the table where the computer was laid out. I went into the bunker’s servers and found the archive of old tv shows. I found the one that I had been watching recently. Ironically, it was about three sisters who found out that they were powerful witches soon after their mother died. 

I sat back and watched it as I ate and felt Nyx come up behind me to watch it, too. She would make a scoffing noise when it showed something unrealistic, but otherwise stayed quiet. I got through an episode and a half before I was finally full, so I turned it off and cleaned the dishes. I got a bowl and filled it with water and set it on the floor for her. She immediately gulped it down and I had to refill it. Going back to the computer, I finished watching the episode and found myself nodding off by the time the credits started rolling.

I stood up and stretched before turning it off. I looked to see where Nyx had gone off to and found her asleep on the couch. I walked over to her and scratched her behind the ears before I retired to the bedroom and fell immediately asleep.

I woke up the next day to find Nyx as close to me as possible, still in wolf form. I pushed her away from me, but she only sighed and decided to stay limp. I got up and went to the kitchen and made myself some coffee. Taking the coffee, I sat in front of the computer screen and called up the compound’s computer. Sephy answered.

“Clarke,” she said with a smile, “I’m sorry about what happened yesterday. You’re mom made it sound like you were in grave danger or something like that.”

I rolled my eyes and took a sip, “She would. I wasn’t in any danger until the guard came bursting into the room. I had Nyx shifted and talking until it happened. Now, we’re back to square one. She’s refusing to do either.”

“So, do you have a game plan?”

“Of a sort. I’m giving her the silent treatment. I’m giving her the bare minimum of contact that I can. I’m hoping I can guilt trip her out of it.”

“Is it working?”

“Too soon to tell. Seph, I even tried to entice her to take a shower with me and it didn’t work.”

Her eyes widened in shock, “Wow, I can’t believe that didn’t work. She’s always had a thing for sharing showers. Where is she now?”

“Asleep in the bed, as a wolf. She fell asleep on the couch last night and when I woke up, she was on the bed next to me.”

“Hmm, I wish I could give you something that would help, but we’ve been apart for eight years,” she said sadly.

“I know,” I replied sympathetically. “And I’ve only known her for a few months. I’m just playing it by ear. But enough about Nyx, how are the food supplies?”

“It’s still real low, but the greenhouses are built. Our earth mages are already working on the vegetables that grow fast and the ones that can provide a adequate amount of protein. Your earth mages are working alongside them to learn how to do it. Hands on training. Surprisingly, your girl, Monroe, is really good at promoting food growth. She’s grown a lot more confident in the last couple of days.”

“That’s great. What about the meats and dairy?”

“The hunting parties are being sent out daily. It’s only been maybe two days that they’ve been heading out. The parties are a mixture between our packs, so that yours learn how to hunt on their own. In the dairy department, Lexa’s sending cows and goats out of her own herds here.”

“I’m impressed that she’s doing that. And confused. She has her own herds?”

Sephy laughed, “Oh, yeah. It’s how she turns a profit to compensate for spending her time leading the pack. She’s not just a pretty face.”

“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never seen her.”

“I’m sure you will. You’re taking care of one of the few people she cares deeply for. She’s going to want to be kept informed. It’d be easier to do that vid face to vid face instead of going through mediators.”

“I’ll remember that. Is there anything else regarding the food supplies that I should be aware of?”

“We found a meat packing plant just on the other side of the camp, so that’s where where the meat will be stored. There’s also a dairy farm a few blocks from it. We’re fixing them both up and extending the camp walls to bring them within the boundary.”

“That’s a big relief. I couldn’t figure out how we were going to store the meats and take care of the cows and goats.”

“Figured. We’ve also got supplies coming in from the border packs. All except the Western Pack. Lexa’s investigating the entire pack looking for more pay offs, bribes, spies, and anything else you could think of. It’s slow going for her. We’ve got her two best people that would make the process faster.”

“Who’s that?”

“Nyx and Dani. If you break their duties down to the key jobs, Nyx is the Enforcer and Dani is the Interrogator.”

“Hey don’t be letting out pack secrets, Sephy,” Dani’s voice came over the microphone.

Sephy looked over her computer and replied, “I’m only talking to Clarke. When you look at the dynamics of everything, she is pack.”

“Oh, if you look at it that way, of course,” she said as she came into view behind Sephy.

“Hey, gorgeous, how’s our girl doing,” she said to me.

I immediately blushed and replied, “She’s being stubborn now. And wallowing again.”

She tsked, “That is not good at all. I wish I could help you, but Indra’s got me busier than a bee hive.”

I laughed, “That must be pretty busy. I’m surprised you have time to chat.”

“I don’t. I’m hiding,” she said with a grin.

“Hiding,” Sephy asked. “You came into the office to hide?”

She looked down at Sephy and said, “It’d be the last place she’d look.”

“Or the first,” Indra’s voice sounded.

I laughed seeing Dani cringe and duck behind the chair.

“Fun times over, Dani,” Indra said and Dani slunk out from behind the chair.

“Yes, Indra,” she said pitifully making both Sephy and me laugh.

“Hey, Seph,” I said drawing her attention. “How are you holding up?”

Her face immediately fell and she replied, “I’m barely holding, Clarke. I don’t want to lose her after just finding her again. I’m keeping myself as busy as I can to not think about it. Does she even care how she’s making the rest of us feel?”

I sighed and leaned on a propped up hand, “She does. She’s scared that she’ll do it again and that there will be nobody around to stop her before she kills someone. There’s still so much self-loathing at the moment. She told me that she either wants to die or turn into a permanent wolf to avoid that from happening.”

“God,” she said sitting back into her chair. “This must have been what it was like for her after the banishment. Abandoned.”

I nodded, “I think so too. The biggest differences are that she didn’t kill me and the fact that she has a very large support base for her build on. I’m back to getting her to believe that again.”

“Well, I wish you the best of luck, Clarke. I’m here if you need me. We all are.”

“Thank you. I need all of the support you can give me.”

She smiled, “I trust you, Clarke.”

I smiled, “Thanks. I’ll let you get back to work. I need to check in with Kane and the council.”

“They should all be in the council room at this time of the morning.”

“All right. I’ll touch base with you later, yes?”

“Please do,” she said and cut the feed off.

I called the council room and Raven’s face immediately appeared, making me lean back in surprise.

She laughed at my response and leaned away from the computer, “Hey, Clarke. We were just talking about you.”

“I’m sure you were. I’m just calling to get a status update on everything. I’ve already spoken with Sephy and she’s let me know about the food supplies. How’s everything else?”

“Hold on a sec,” she said and signaled to someone off screen. “Kane would be the best person to ask.”

Kane appeared and he pulled up a chair and sat down, “Clarke, it’s good to see you. Your mother gave us quite a scare yesterday.”

“I know. I’m not happy with her at the moment. Can you tell me what’s been going on?”

“Sure. We held two classes yesterday. There were issues with both of them, but it was handled pretty quickly and no one was hurt. They were more vocal about wanting to speak with Jaha and weren’t happy when we told them it wasn’t possible.”

“Yeah, I figured that was a possibility. Has there been any upheaval in the quarantine area?”

“Some minor upheaval, but the guards took care of it. They had to remove five people and move them into solitary. We’re keeping them away from Jaha.”

“That’s good. How’s everything else?”

“Everybody is training. Our earth mages are working alongside theirs to learn. The pack is going out hunting with them. The rest are usually in the compound working on using their powers to gain better control and efficiency. Everyone is doing weapons training and fighting techniques. No serious injuries that couldn’t be easily fixed.”

“That’s good. How many classes are scheduled for today?”

“We’re going to keep it to two classes a day. After breakfast and after lunch. I think if we add another after dinner would be asking for trouble.”

“Seems reasonable. Anything else?”

“Jaha is demanding to speak with me. Well, what he’s really demanding is to speak with the council leader, but the assumption is that he wants to speak with me. We’ve been denying him. Should I reconsider before he gets violent?”

“If Jaha wants to speak with the council leader, then we’ll give him that. If he wishes to voice any concerns then he can voice them to me, not you.”

“I understand. Should I arrange a meeting then?”

“Yes. It’ll have to be via video because I’m here for the foreseeable future,” I said with a sigh.

“Alright. I’ll set it up. Would it be alright if we listened in?”

“I have no problem with that. In fact, I would prefer it that way. Make sure that everyone’s on the same page so that he won’t try to use it against me or anyone else. Make sure Bellamy’s there.”

He nodded, “Okay. There’s really not much else going on the moment. Persephone, Octavia, and I have been keeping each other informed of everything that’s been going on. We’ll keep doing that until you can return.”

“Good. Just remember to keep me in the loop, too.”

“We won’t forget. I’ll let you know via communicator when the meeting will be.”

“Thanks. I’ll be waiting,” I said and ended the call.

I got up and reheated my coffee and headed back to the bedroom to check on Nyx. She was still asleep on the bed, so I went back into the kitchen and started making breakfast. I burned the toast, bacon was a little crispy and my eggs were a little runny, but it wasn’t too bad of a meal since I’d only cooked five times before this. When I was done, I heard Nyx’s claws clicking on the floor. I put my food on the table and took out two steaks and set them on a plate next to the water bowl. She looked at the raw meat, then up at me, and whined.

“No,” I replied sternly. “If you want to continue to be a wolf, you’ll eat like one. Raw meat, no fruits and very little vegetables. No coffee, no alcohol either. Only water. I’m not indulging this behavior from you. When you’re willing to shift, you can eat what you want. Not until then, am I understood?”

She whined and laid down in front of her plate to stare at it.

“Staring at it, isn’t going to make the meat sear the way you like it. No powers, remember.”

She growled low, but didn’t move.

I shook my head at her and taking my own plate, headed for the table. I ate slowly making faces at how bad my cooking was, but finished it all by the time I heard Nyx grumble and began eating her food. I set the plates aside and pulled up an old computer game of solitaire, ignoring her. I listened as she moved about the room and came to sit beside me. I petted her a bit and then returned to the game. She laid a paw on my leg, but I moved it off of me. She did it again and I did the same thing. This time she laid her head on my lap and put some weight on it to keep me from removing it. I looked down at her irritably and she whined.

“What, Nyx? I’m busy.”

She whined at me again and I said, “What?”

She lifted her head and walked over to the door and then looked back to me.

“Oh, you have got to be kidding me,” I said. “If you have to go, then go use the bathroom. Like a human. Like everyone else. I don’t have time to take you for a damn walk like you’re my pet.”

She looked at me hard and then she squatted like she was about to do her business. 

I jumped out of the chair and screamed, “Don’t you dare, Nyx Allistar! I swear to god that if you do, I will use you to clean it up and then shove you in the shower and find the harshest brush to clean you. Then I’ll use that brush and bruise your ass. Do you understand me?”

She laid down with her ears back as I yelled at her and let out a loud whimper.

“Fuck,” I yelled and looked at her. “You’re not even gonna shift are you? You’re going to make me walk you out of the bunker, where there are people, to let you do your business. God, I’m gonna be so embarrassed by this, walking my girlfriend, like a pet, to get her business taken care of. Fine, let me go put on my boots and I’ll freaking take you for a walk.”

I headed to the bedroom, taking my time as I found socks and my shoes. I dragged putting everything on and then heard the noise I’d been hoping for, the opening and closing of the bathroom door. I listened closely, but couldn’t hear anything because of the closed door. I took off my socks and boots and waited patiently on the bed. The bathroom door opened and I heard the clicking of her claws come towards the bedroom. She poked her head at me and whined.

“You didn’t make a mess in there, did you,” I asked.

She shook her head and I smiled at her, “Good. Now neither of us have to be worried about embarrassing ourselves with that kind of nonsense. And if that’s the only time you’re willing to shift, I’ll take it. Baby steps, Nyx. Looks like we gotta use baby steps.”

She gave me a wolfish grin and bounded into the room and jumped on the bed making me laugh. She laid down next me with her head hanging over the side and looked up at me.

“Look,” I told her. “This was good. It really was, but you still have to get over your fear. I know yesterday freaked you out. It freaked me out, but I stood my ground. You need to remember how to do that with yourself. I’ve already told you how this is hurting your friends and family. Me. Nyx, I want the woman I love not her wolf beside me. And the longer you stay like this, the more of what makes you you disappears. Then what happens? When do I mourn? Do I mourn when there is no more humanity? When you leave for the forest? When you eventually die? Or do I mourn now, knowing that all of that will eventually happen? Can you even imagine the pain this will cause us? Or the guilt we’ll carry around for the rest of our lives because we weren’t good enough or strong enough to keep you with us? Or the void you will leave behind? This isn’t just your life you’re talking about here. It’s all of our lives. You’ve made such a huge impact on all of us. Staying like this, refusing to talk, is slowly killing not only you, but us too. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to handle this, Nyx. It’s hard enough now.”

I stroked her head and then got up to go to the living area. She stayed behind in the bedroom as I took comfort in watching old tv shows. I hadn’t heard anything from Kane before lunch, so I made us lunch. This time around, I did sear her meat and mix a bowl of vegetables for her. We ate and when I couldn’t find anything to occupy myself with, I took a nap. 

Nyx nudge me awake and I could hear the incessant beeping of either the communicator or the video call going off. I rubbed my face and headed out there. It was the video call. I answered it and saw it was Kane.

“Kane, is everything alright,” I asked as I yawned.

He smiled, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you, but I wanted to let you know that I’ve set up the meeting with Jaha about thirty minutes from now.”

“Didn’t you say that you’d call me on the communicator?”

“I did and I tried, but I guess you were too sound asleep to hear it.”

I looked down at Nyx, but she only shrugged so I sighed.

“Alright. Sorry. There’s not enough to down here to keep me occupied and I’m not in the best place to practice my powers.”

“I understand. I’ll let you wash up a bit and call back in thirty.”

I smiled, “I’ve got horrible bed head, don’t I?”

He grinned, “Maybe just a tad. I’ll speak to you soon.”

“Okay,” I replied and turned off the screen. I looked at my reflection in the darkened screen and saw how terrible my hair looked. 

I grumbled and got up to head straight for the bathroom. I ran my brush under the water and tried to gain some semblance of order and pulled it back into a braid. Then I headed to the kitchen and made myself a cup of coffee. Nyx looked at me expectantly and I shook my head. She was not getting coffee. I smirked and sat back down to wait.

Thirty minutes later my screen flared to life and I was greeted with a split screen of Jaha and Kane.

“Where’s Kane,” Jaha asked immediately. “I was told I would be speaking the council leader.”

“You are, Jaha, speaking with the council leader. Kane is otherwise occupied with council business,” I replied coolly. “I understand you have some concerns you wish to speak about.”

“This does not concern you, Ms. Griffin. I do not recognize your authority.”

“Very well then. You’ve seem to have wasted our time in setting up this meeting, so I’ll inform your guards that you won’t be receiving your evening meal,” I said and glanced over at Kane.

He nodded and sent a silent message to somebody. I could hear Jaha’s cell door opening and then someone call the guard back. The door closed again and Jaha looked sharply behind him.

“What did you just do,” he demanded when he turned back to face me.

“What I said I’d do. You’ve wasted my time, my guards’ time, my councilors’ time. Therefore, for your insolence you will go without your evening meal, Jaha. Have a good evening,” I replied and went to turn off the video feed.

“Wait,” he said. “Now, wait a moment.”

“Why should I wait, Jaha? You’re wasting minutes that I could use to address other matters that are more important than you,” I said my finger still hovering over the end call button.

“You’re the one I speak to if I have any concerns?”

“I am for the moment. When you return to the rest, any concerns you have will have to be brought up to Bellamy. Who is your council representative.”

He scoffed, “Bellamy Blake? He’s my representative? You must be joking.”

I narrowed my eyes at him and said, “He was voted in by a unanimous vote from the council to represent the humans. The humans have accepted his leadership with no qualms. Now, is there something you would like to discuss or are you still wasting my time?”

He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. When he let it out and opened his eyes, he said, “Yes, there is something that I would like to discuss with you.”

I sat back and replied, “Very well. What is it that I can help you with?”

“I would like to inquire about how much longer I will be held in solitary.”

“I see,” I replied, nodding. “Have you been properly educated as to the history of the last 83 years?”

A glance at Kane showed me that he had been.

“I have.”

“Do you understand what has happened?”

“No, I do not.”

“What is it that you do not understand?”

“The entirety of it.”

“Explain.”

“I do not understand how the earth became livable again after less than 25 years? From a scientific standpoint that is not physically possible. When we opened the bunker, that was the soonest our projections had indicated that the earth’s surface was livable again.”

“You are correct. Scientifically speaking, there shouldn’t have been life so soon after the apocalypse.”

“So, then how is it possible that it apparently happened or is it a big lie?”

“I assure you that it’s not a lie. I can have diary entries, newspaper clippings, videos sent to you that will verify that it truly happened this way. And I’m not talking about the information that is here in Forest Pack. I’m speaking about information that comes straight from the Coalition.”

“So, how did it happen?”

“Divine intervention,” I replied calmly. “Mother Earth no longer wanted to be considered a myth and healed at least this portion of the world. And in using the radiation that was already mutating human genetics created the Apex.”

“How do you even know that there really is a Goddess and not some mass hallucination that is brought in by the very air we breathe?”

“Me, personally? I don’t have any empirical evidence to support this. The wereanimals have a much closer bond with Mother Earth than us mages. They are the ones who have born witness to Her.”

“And yet you believe them? I never thought you’d be one to go on the words of others, Ms. Griffin.”

“I have no other way to explain how quickly the earth rebounded back to life, Jaha. Sometimes there is no simple explanation to answer a question. My only answer that I can give to you is to pray to Mother Earth and hope she’ll provide you with something tangible enough to make you see that it is the truth.”

He scoffed, “Be that as it may, Ms. Griffin. That video seems to rely heavily on faith and very little on science.”

“That is because it is still being figured out, Jaha. We only have theories. We can guess at what the radiation levels were at, but without knowing exactly what was in the breathable air, we cannot decipher exactly how the earth recovered or what caused the mutations that created the Apex.”

“Okay, I can concede that point. Though why did they not immediately begin searching for the answers bothers me.”

“It’s possible they did. For all we know they were either too busy dying or trying to figure out what had happened to them when they first learned they could shift or came across the fact that they had powers.”

“Speaking about that, the sudden appearance of powers. How is it that some of you gained yours?”

“That is something that we are working on ourselves. Luckily we have a record of what was in our air going back to when the bunker was sealed. We’re still pulling data from it. From what we’ve theorized is that around 25 – 30 years ago something slipped into our breathable air, low level radiation or a slow leak. This caused mutations in the children born after that time. We theorize that the changes were always there laying dormant until the bunker was unsealed. Only a small percentage of that age group showed up as Apex. The majority of them are humans.”

“This is all conjecture, correct?”

I nodded, “It is. Our medical staff and Jasper, our earth mage chemist, are working on what exactly happened.”

“I’m not surprised to find out that Jasper is a chemist. He was rather fond of his creative uses for plants.”

“Which is a by product of his power,” I replied. “It’s why Raven and Monty have created most of the technology that we’ve implemented since setting up camp.”

“I see. Now can you better explain why it is that us humans are dying off?”

“I’m afraid I can’t. The explanation given by Scarlett is the best information we have. And before you ask for a second opinion, she is the only healer who works with humans and has actually made the effort of trying to figure out the why.”

“That is unfortunate. So, humans are now a subspecies because of our lack of power?”

“Yes. As unfortunate as it is. Outside of this camp, humans are a rarity to see. From my experience in Old Towne, I didn’t come across any other humans besides Bellamy.”

“That’s because we’re dying off?”

“Right.”

“But those that do exist, are either in hiding or owned like slaves.”

“From what Scarlett has informed us, yes that’s true.”

“So, what does that make us humans here in this camp?”

“The Forest Pack leadership considers the humans of this camp owned by the Manassas Pack and the mages.”

“Which makes us slaves.”

“Only in the way the world sees it. None of us consider or even like the idea of owning people. It’s the reason why we’re working with the de Pakstoka of the Forest Pack to figure out what to do. Having this many humans in a central location is dangerous. Not just for the pack, but for every person in this camp. That is what we’ve been trying to stress to you, Jaha. If word gets out beyond these borders, we will all be in danger. If the Forest Pack is perceived to be amassing a human army or providing sanctuary to humans, some very nasty possibilities arise. If push comes to shove, de Pakstoka wouldn’t hesitate to kill every last one of us in this camp to avoid a violent confrontation with the Coalition. It’s what I would do if my people were at that much of a risk.”

He looked at me aghast and said, “You’d really do that?”

“If it meant keeping my own people safe, then yes I would. I wouldn’t hesitate. Jaha, the safety and well being of my people is paramount for me. That includes the humans in this camp. But I can’t do that if the humans continue to be a problem. If it comes to safety of the Apex or safety of the humans, I will always choose the Apex.”

“I don’t understand how you’d be so willing to kill the people you’ve grown up with, that you’ve protected.”

I scoffed and raised my eyebrow at him, “Really? You don’t understand how I’d be willing to just kill people I’ve know my whole life. Jaha, you’ve been doing it for the last five years as council leader in the bunker. How many people did you order executed because their acts placed the people as a whole in danger?”

“That was different,” Jaha argued.

“Explain to me how what you did in the bunker to keep your people alive is different from how I’m willing to keep my people alive.”

“That was about survival. I did what I had to do to make sure my people survived. What you’re talking about isn’t about survival. It’s genocide.”

“It is about survival, Jaha. Let me ask you something and I want you to think long and hard before you answer me. If one of us suddenly showed powers or shifted, how would you have responded? How would your people have responded? Knowing that this is someone you knew, someone you may have cared about or loved. What would you have done?”

He opened his mouth like he was about to object but shut it when he saw the seriousness of my face. So, he did the smart thing and thought about it.

He slumped his shoulders and admitted, “They would have probably been executed because they were perceived as a threat to the survival of my people. They would have been killed by the people they knew. I would have killed them.”

“Because you would have seen them as a threat to the survival of your people.”

“Yes.”

“That is why the humans are in quarantine and guarded. We perceive them as a threat to our survival, but we don’t want to kill them. The sad truth, Jaha, is that if the humans tried to take control of this camp, they may kill one or two of us, but we’ll end up killing every human. We have powers to make the earth swallow you up, drown you, suck the very air you breathe out of you, electrocute you, kill you with a touch or create a weapon that you’d never see as a threat and use that to kill you. None of us ever want to use our powers like that on the people we grew up with, care about, or are related to. None of us.”

He took a deep breath and swallowed thickly, “I think I’m beginning to understand the gravity of the situation.”

“Good,” I said with relief, but then Nyx nudged my hand.

I looked down at her and she shook her head no. I looked at her quizzically, but she didn’t clarify what she meant. I sighed and scratched behind her ears as I turned my attention back to Jaha.

“Can you tell me what will happen to the people that are recovering from the neurotoxin?”

“The ones that have no power will join the rest of the humans in quarantine. The rest will come up to the surface and begin training in the use of their powers.”

“It’s as simple as that.”

“It’s as simple as that, Jaha.”

“Thank you for taking the time to speak with me, Ms. Griffin. You have given me a great many things to think about.”

“Your welcome, Jaha. I’ll have the guards return you your dinner.”

He inclined his head and I turned off his section of the video conference.

“Before you send Jaha his dinner, make sure that there are two guards with the one bringing the food, Kane. Something doesn’t feel right,” I said.

“You felt it, too,” Kane asked.

“Nyx did, but now that I’m thinking about it. He acquiesced too easily. There wasn’t enough arguing or belligerence. He decided to listen when I showed him that I meant business by taking his meal away. That shouldn’t have been enough. He’s planning something.”

“He also didn’t like the fact that you’re willing to kill a large amount of people to protect less then 50 Apex. Nor did he like the fact that you told him exactly how powerful we are.”

“No, he didn’t. If we let him anywhere near the humans, he will definitely turn the information I’ve just given him to his advantage.”

“Which could be what, exactly,” Bellamy asked as he sat next to Kane.

“Incite a riot at a moment that we wouldn’t expect it. Like say when we decided to release them from quarantine or when they think that we’ve become comfortable in thinking that we’re safe from them. Hell, if he could get his hands on Jasper, he could force him to create something that would kill us.”

“How do you figure?”

“Because that’s something we’d do if the roles were reversed,” Kane answered for me.

“So, how do I handle this?”

“Right now,” I said. “You treat it like we never had this conversation with Jaha. No one outside the council knows about this. Just keep working on reassuring your people that no one wants to hurt anyone, that we’re educating the populace as to what happened, and that we’re trying to come up with a solution that will make everyone somewhat happy.”

“And bring any concerns to the council.”

I smiled weakly, “Yes, that all concerns brought to you will be heard by the council.”

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed, “Then I’ll keep doing what I’ve been doing and really limit any contact I have with Jaha or those in solitary.”

“Thank you. I know this isn’t easy, Bell. We’re all doing the best we can.”

“I know, Clarke. Who’d ever believe that we’d be the ones to carry this weight on our shoulders?”

I chuckled, “I sure didn’t. All I wanted to do was become an engineer like my dad.”

“And I just wanted to take care of my sister.”

I sighed, “Was there anything else we needed to address before we call it for the night?”

Kane and Bellamy looked at one another and Kane said, “No. That was it. I’ll let you know how the first class goes tomorrow.”

“Okay. Good night then.”

“Good night,” they echoed and the screen went black.

I got up and stretched to ease the tension that had built up. I walked around the room thinking about the conversation. I couldn’t pinpoint what he had said or that I had said that would have caused me to be even more cautious with him. Nyx would be able to tell me, but she was stubbornly refusing to talk. I stole a glance at her and she just lay on the floor looking at me.

“I could really use your help on figuring this out, Nyx,” I said as I sighed. “You saw or heard something that I missed and I wish I knew what it was. I’ve never trusted the man even though our families had been long time friends. I even dated his son for a little bit, but that’s besides the point. I think I’m right about guessing that he’ll try and turn the information to his advantage and turn around to try to take control again. I don’t really think he believes that we could really kill that easily or that if it came down to it that we would. I know he sure won’t seek answers from Mother Earth to better understand just what happened. That’s the problem. He relies on cold hard facts. The fact is that humans grossly outnumber Apex here in camp. So, he technically has the numbers. We may be small, but we have the power. He doesn’t believe that we have that kind of power, because he hasn’t seen it in person. If we showed him video footage proving my point, he’ll only say that it’s a fake. Not real. So, the question is how do we get him to realize the truth. That we are more dangerous than the humans and that we don’t want to kill them. Or that the Forest Pack doesn’t want to kill them.”

I looked over at her, but I couldn’t discern if she was trying to tell me anything, so I laid down on the couch and groaned in frustration. She came over and licked my face, making me scrunch and turn away from her.

“Okay, that’s just gross, Nyx,” I said as I wiped my face off. “I do not want to be slobbered on by my girlfriend.”

She gave a wolf chuckle and climbed on top of me, making me squeak and gasp for air.

“You’re too freaking big for this, Nyx. And heavy,” I said trying to get air in my lungs. “Damn, you’re heavy. So, heavy.”

Her answer was to make herself more comfortable and shove her snout in my neck.

“Oh, come on, Nyx,” I said as I tried to wiggle out from under her, but she only went more limp and making herself heavier. “I can’t breathe.”

She blew air at my face and I wrinkled my nose in disgust.

“That nasty wolf breath is not helping,” I said as I redoubled my efforts.

Finally, I got myself out from under her and plopped onto the ground. I lay there gulping in air as she looked down at me from the couch, smiling.

“You’ve got to be kidding me, right,” I said as I wiped the sweat off of my face. “Don’t tell me you did that, just so you could have the couch.”

She answered by rolling onto her back and continued to grin at me.

I sat up and pushed the hair away from my face and gave her a dirty look. When I felt like I had the energy, I got up from the floor and glared down at her.

“You know what,” I said as I threw my hands up in the air. “That’s fine. You can have the couch, no problem. I’m just going to grab the communicator and head to my very comfortable, very big bed. And you are not welcome, missy.”

With that I grabbed the communicator and rushed into the bedroom before she could make it to the door of the bedroom. I landed on the bed, spread eagle and cackled in glee. She came in more sedately and looked at me with a sad face.

“Nope. Na-uh,” I said wagging my finger at her. “You wanted the couch, I gave you the couch. The bed is mine. All mine. Now be off with you, stinky mouth. I want to rest before I try cooking again.”

She placed a paw on the bed like she was going to get on, but I shot her down and shooed her out the door. Before she left she looked at me over her shoulder sadly, but I held firm. She heaved a sigh and left. I chuckled to myself and closed my eyes. That jovial moment had been good for me. I felt more relaxed and the tension eased further.

An hour later, the communicator beeped and brought me back down to reality.

“Yes,” I asked.

“Hey, Clarke. It’s Octavia,” she said.

“What’s up,” I said as I sat up on the bed.

“I’m sending someone down to you with a basket of dinner. Dani decided to cook for us and oh, my, god it is amazing. It’s some kind of pasta in meat sauce. It like literally melts in your mouth. The entire meal is delicious. She even made these bread sticks that are infused with garlic oil. The whole thing is an experience that you have got to try.”

I laughed, “Okay, O. Sounds like it’s a meal I don’t want to miss. How long ago did they leave?”

“They should be there in like five minutes.”

“Okay. How was training and whatnot?”

“I finally got to go out and hunt today,” she said excitedly. “It was such a rush. One of the Forest Pack caught a whiff of a herd of deer and that was all that it took. We surprised them and took like five down. I got my first kill!”

Laughing, “Well, congratulations. Good job. Did you use your power to take it down?”

“No,” she said glumly. “They wouldn’t let us.”

“So, that means that you did it using only your skills. That is a big deal, Octavia. You should be proud of yourself. I’m proud of you. Now we know that at least one of us can keep us fed,” I joked.

She laughed, “You’re right. I’m the Manassas Pakstoka and I have just proven that I can provide meat for my pack.”

“That’s right, Pakstoka. You did. Now prove to me it wasn’t just beginner’s luck.”

“Oh, way to kill my buzz, Clarke. Thank you. Love you bunches,” she replied sarcastically.

I chuckled, “That’s me. I’m a buzzkill. I set you up, then I knock you down. But how is everything on your end? Still trailing after Indra and Dani?”

“I’m still trailing them, but sometimes they disappear for hours and when they come back, they’re surprisingly in a better mood. It’s odd.”

“I don’t think that odd is the word you’re looking for, O. You do remember the one thing they’ve been very candid on, don’t you?”

“You mean? Oh, shit, I actually forgot. If that’s what they’re doing. Dani seems to do it a lot more frequently then Indra. She disappears several times a day, every day.”

“Okay, that is weird,” I said as I walked out into the living area and nudged Nyx awake. “Maybe she just needs it more then most, you know. But you’re not having those feelings, are you?”

“God, no. Bellamy would kill me. No, I’m being good and only hanging out with Nate and Seph. I’m perfectly safe with them and no one has really caught my eye. Honestly, you’re the heathen in the bunch. The rest of us are pure as snow compared to you and Seph.”

“I beg your pardon,” faking sounding offended by her comments. “Just because I’m having sex with my girlfriend does not make me a heathen. It’s only hedonistic if I’m having sex with more than one person, which I am not.”

There was a knock on the door and I walked over to peer out the door. I noticed it was Sara holding a rather large basket.

“Who’d you send, O?”

“Sara. Why?”

“She’s outside the door. I wanted to make sure she was the one you sent.”

“Yep. Now that you’re food’s arrived, I shall let you enjoy your dinner. I’ll talk to you laters.”

“Laters,” I said and unlocked the ward and opened the door. “Hey, Sara. What’s in the basket?”

She smiled and held it out for me to take and replied, “One of the best damn meals I’ve ever eaten. Dani sure knows how to cook. Trust me, you won’t regret it. Oh, and there’s something in there that she calls grated parmesan. It goes really well with the meat sauce.”

I smiled and said, “Sounds great. Tell Dani and Octavia thank you for me.”

“I will,” she said and turned around and ran off as soon as I had the basket firmly in my hand.

I closed the door and locked the ward before I held the basket up to my face and inhaled the aroma that was wafting out. Nyx’s head snapped up as she sniffed the air and then bounded off the couch to come at me.

“Hold up, Nyx,” I said as I lifted the basket higher. “You are not eating any of this if there’s only enough for one. Understand? Now, let me put this on the table so I can open it up and see.”

She backed up just enough to let me go around her, but when I moved passed her, she was right on my heels. I put it on a chair and started pulling containers out. Two bowls of the pasta with meat sauce, one much larger than the other. Another bowl of just the pasta, one of the meat sauce, a small container of grated something (probably the parmesan), container of a dozen bread sticks, some butter, and a salad big enough for two with a bottle of some kind of vinaigrette. There was also a bottle of chilled red wine and two glasses.

Nyx looked at me eagerly and I grabbed the bowl that was hers and took it into the kitchen. As soon as it was down, she had her face in it and was already working through it. I laughed and grabbed two bowls from the cupboard and split the salad in half. I poured the vinaigrette over both of them and on impulse put some of the grated parmesan over both. I put her salad next to her and took mine over to the table.

Octavia had been right. The meal was delicious with the bursts of flavors and spices that seemed to erupt over my tongue with every bite. I ended up having a second helping before I could finally say that I was full. Even the wine was good and accentuated the meal perfectly. I was very pleasantly surprised by Dani’s prowess in creating this meal. 

Nyx of course, ate every last bit of pasta, sauce, bread crumb that she could find. The downside was that she made a huge mess and I had to clean her and the kitchen up. I admit she did try to help clean up, taking a rag and wiping the floor with it under her paw. When everything was cleaned and put away, Nyx immediately went into a food coma and fell asleep on the couch and I drowsily watched old tv shows with a few more glasses of wine.

The computer chimed breaking through the tv show I was watching. I answered and was surprised to see Dani on the other end. She smiled wide when she saw me and I couldn’t help but smile in return.

“Dani,” I carefully said through the alcoholic buzz, “this is pleasantly unexpected.”

She blushed lightly and replied, “I was just wanting to check on how the two of you were doing.”

“We’re doing okay,” I replied. “Thank you for the meal. I’ve never eaten something that delicious before. It was perfect.”

Her blushed deepened and she looked down and replied, “I’m glad you liked it. I thought it would be a great way to show my appreciation for what you’re doing there.”

“Well, your appreciation is greatly noted and this wine is just the icing on the cake. Where can I get some more?”

She laughed, “I’ll make sure to get you a few bottles when I go home. My family makes the wine.”

I looked at her in surprise and said, “Wait a minute? You’re family makes wine?”

She nodded, “We do. We have a vineyard southwest of here. A lot of the first tiered families have a special way to bring money into the pack and our homes.”

“So, Lexa’s is dairy herds. Your’s is wine. Do the Allistars’ have their own specialty?”

“They do,” she replied with a smile. “They’re the artisans. Nyx’s mom’s paintings are breathtakingly beautiful. Nyx sculpts. Nereus used to make wood carvings. And I believe Sephy also paints. Their works of art have brought thousands of dollars into the pack. You can see most of their work displayed in the homes of some of the more powerful Apex on the East Coast.”

“Wow. You guys are all amazing,” I said in wonderment. “And the three of your families are like the most powerful in the pack, right?”

“I guess you could say that,” she said thinking. “You’ll always hear about how tightly knit the Allistars and Devereuxs are and how they’re the pillars of our leadership. We purposefully make people forget that the Rendons are part of it, too.”

“Why would you do that?”

“My family is the one that truly works behind the scenes. We’re called _Trikova kom de Pakstoka_. Shadow of the Wolf, or simply _Trikova_.”

Understanding dawned and I said with a small grin, “That’s why you can’t tell me what it is you really do.”

She nodded, “Yep. It’s why the three of us grew up together.”

“If you are called _Trikova_ , and Lexa is _de Pakstoka_ , why is Nyx’s title only known as Second?”

“That’s what the title actually is; as in Second in Command. The family is also referred to as _de Shuda_ , the Weapon. Nyx herself is usually called _Stokripa_ or demon wolf.”

“That’s because of how many powers she has and how powerfully dangerous she is.”

“Right,” she said nodding.

“This is just mind boggling, Dani. When I stepped out of the bunker, I never thought I’d find myself here or that my life would become so crazy.”

“Do you wish that the doors had never been opened,” she asked curiously.

“No. I’ve spent plenty of times wondering what the hell I’ve gotten myself into and worried that I’ll do the wrong thing, but I don’t regret stepping out of the bunker,” I said honestly.

“I’m glad. I think the world would be missing something if you weren’t in it.”

I blushed and looked away from the screen and she chuckled softly.

“Thank you. I’m not used to people complimenting me like that.”

“I’m sure that the people who care about you feel the way I do. They just assume that you already know so they don’t say it as often. But, you are truly an amazing woman, Clarke. From what Octavia and Seph have told me, you’ve always put your people before you. You don’t ask for special treatment. You work tirelessly for what you believe in. You care about everyone. You never hold back or let things hold you back. You’re special, Clarke.”

“You hardly know me, Dani,” I said softly.

“I know enough. Who else would be brave enough to face their fear alone and succeed where the rest of us have failed. Who else would have stood their ground in front of their mother and a guard that had a rifle aimed at them. I can’t think of anyone other than you, that could have done all that you’ve done, Clarke.”

I smiled ruefully and said, “Well, the only thing I’ve accomplished today is getting Nyx to use the bathroom as a human.”

“Which is a big step, Clarke. I know you’ll get through to her. I have faith in you. We all do. Just keep doing your damndest and we’ll all help.”

I chuckled, “Thanks. That’s all I’m trying to do. I love Nyx and seeing her like this is heartbreaking, Dani. She’s been through so much and has had to deal with it by herself for so long. It’s almost like, because she’s no longer alone, she’s more fearful of failing us, so she doesn’t want to risk it. You know?”

“She sees that she has more to lose now,” she said softly. “She didn’t see what kind of impact her banishment had on the people she loved. Now, she does. The reality of it is what’s making it harder for her to move past this.”

“Yeah. I just don’t know what else I can do besides be here for her and try to break through the stubbornness any which way I can.”

She smiled, “That’s all you can do, love. She’s hardheaded with a heart of gold. You’re just going to have to keep pounding at it until she just gives in.”

“Ugh. It doesn’t help that I want her physically and the only comfort I can get from her are wolf kisses and body warmth.”

“Keep reminding her of that. That you’re with her, but want more then just a furry companion for the rest of your life. Who knows, maybe that will be the key.”

“I’ll try,” I said and then yawned hugely. “God, what time is it anyway?”

She laughed and then looked at the time, “It’s almost 4 in the morning. I should really let you get some sleep.”

I laughed, “I think it should be the other way around, Dani. You’re the one with things to do, I’m just twiddling my thumbs and sitting on my ass.”

“You’re right, but I’m sorry that I’ve kept you up this late,” she said apologetically.

I shook my head and said, “You have nothing to be sorry for. I should be the one apologizing.”

“No worries. Just take care of our girl,” she said with a cheeky grin.

“Always,” I said and we said goodbye.

I finished my glass and put the wine in the fridge. I leaned over the couch and kissed Nyx on top of her head before I headed to the bedroom.

My head was pounding when I woke up and I groaned as I slowly got up. Too much wine. I looked around the room and found a large glass of water and some pills on the nightstand. I didn’t hesitate and took the pills and drained the glass. I set it delicately on the surface and laid back down to wait for the medicine to kick in. I heard Nyx’s claws click as she came into the room and I turned my head slightly to look at her. She was looking at me with concern and I absently patted the bed for her to join me. She walked to the other side and as gently as she could climbed onto the bed and lay next me, her head on my stomach.

“I shouldn’t have drank all that wine last night, Nyx,” I said softly so I didn’t make my head feel worse. “But that is some of the best I’ve ever had. Then again. I think that’s the first time I’ve had wine. For some reason we had champagne in the bunker and some other alcohol, but no wine. I’m going to need you to remind me not to have that much again. My head hurts so much right now.”

She blew a puff of air out making goosebumps ripple across my stomach.

“I know. It’s what I get for drinking. Dani called last night. She wanted to know what I thought about the food. She told me that her family is the one who made the wine. Then she told me that your family makes art to sell. I think that’s awesome that you do that. I don’t think I’d have the courage to even think about selling one of my drawings. Regardless, of how many people love them.”

She grumbled and I reached down to scratch behind her ears, making her sigh in contentment. 

“What are we doing, Nyx? Hiding down here while the rest of the world moves on without us. I know I’ve been here only for a few days, but I feel like I’m letting everyone down. They’re up there working their asses off so I can be down here with you and help you get better. It just doesn’t seem like I’m doing anything special to deserve them willingly giving up their time like that.”

She didn’t have an answer to that so I sighed and sat up. She picked up her head and looked up at me and I smiled wanly.

“I’m going to take a shower. Maybe that’ll help clear my head more,” I told her and headed into the bathroom.


	30. Nyx

I watched her as she left the bedroom and so wanted to follow her, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. It was difficult to even shift just to use the bathroom. And this morning I had to force myself to shift just to get a glass of water and medicine for her. I growled at myself because I couldn’t understand why this time around was feeling so much harder then the other day. I knew I was safe. I knew that Clarke wouldn’t allow anyone to hurt me, especially after standing up to her mom like she had. I knew she wouldn’t push me to leave until I either did it willingly or she felt I was dragging my feet.

I just didn’t know what was going on with me. I closed my eyes and prayed to Mother Earth like I had every day since that day, looking for guidance and the strength to take that first step in recovering. But that guilt. That painful, gut-wrenching guilt weighed more heavily on my heart and I could hardly breathe. It was unbearable at times and I wanted nothing more then to bash my head into a wall, just to relieve myself of that pain. I never could, though. I couldn’t allow myself that freedom knowing the pain, guilt, and loss that I’d leave behind.

That was the crux of my situation. The reality was that if I tried to end my life or even succeeded, there would be so many people that could be destroyed from it. My guilt told me that they would be better off without me. That they’d be freer and would never have to worry if one day I would truly snap and kill them with no remorse until I was done. Hurt them or the possibility of hurting them. Then there was the part of me that said, you won’t know until you try. Maybe this time things will be different. I have the support that I didn’t before. That there were people who are willingly risking their lives to help me through this. They’re not running away but doing the opposite, running towards me. 

These thoughts. Theses were the thoughts that ran in my head, non stop. Take that step and either fail or pass. Not take the step and lose myself. Kill myself to end the self-torture. Kill myself and deeply traumatize the people who love me. Kill myself and everyone will sigh in relief. The indecision kept me stuck and I didn’t know how to take that leap of faith, so here I was. Laying on a bed large enough for two, wanting to hold the woman I love, wanting to take up the fight again, and I couldn’t even break my silence to let her know that I heard her. That I heard everyone.

I got up from the bed and nudged open the closet where I buried myself in the darkest corner and wept.

 

I heard Clarke come back into the bedroom and quieted myself so that she couldn’t hear me. I listened as she came up to the closet and searched for something to wear. She closed the door completely leaving me in total darkness. I continued to listen as she got dressed and then left.

I could hear her calling for me, but I couldn’t bring myself to come out. I listened as she became more frantic and doors opened and closed as she looked for me. I could only bury myself deeper, hearing the fear in her voice and began weeping again because I just could not move to let her know I was still here. I didn’t want her to find me, but I knew that she would soon. I couldn’t make myself invisible. I couldn’t use my powers to keep her out.

I cringed when the closet doors opened and sudden light filled the small area.

“Nyx,” she cried out as she dropped and pulled me to her. “What happened, baby? Why were you hiding?”

I wanted to tell her so badly, but I just couldn’t do it. I had no voice. I only had pain and fear. So I wept and I whined and I shuddered. The only things my body would let me show her how I felt. She held me tight and rocked us back and forth as we both fought to end our fears. 

“Nyx, please,” she whispered hoarsely, “You’ve got to let me in. You’ve got to talk with me. I can’t help you like this. I know you’re scared. I know you think you’ll hurt me or someone else, but that’ll only happen if you won’t let me help you. Let me help you, please.”

Oh god, how I wanted her help, but I was frozen. And it tore me up knowing that I was pushing her to a limit I never wanted her to face. Not with me. I was broken. Flawed. Unworthy. Unlovable. Dangerous. Deadly. Untrustworthy. She shouldn’t love me. Angry. Hurt. Pained. Worthless. Useless.

I growled and got off of her and pushed her out of the closet. She tried to stay with me, but I only growled more menacingly and bared my teeth at her. I watched as she swallowed down the fear I could smell coming from her.

“Not going to happen, Nyx,” she said determinedly. “I’m not running away from you. You’ll have to kill me.”

I deepened my growl and took an aggressive stance. I was determined to win this, but she was just as determined. I watched as she called her power to her and wore it like a second skin.

“You are not pushing me away, Nyx. Neither of us want to hurt the other. You need to back down. Now.”

I snapped at her and she sent a spark in response.

“Nyx, I know you don’t want to do this. Back down.”

I took a menacing step forward and snapped at her again. She sent a light shock to my snout. I shook it off and took another step. She sent a slightly more powerful shock and stood her ground.

“Nyx. Stop. Now,” she demanded, looking me in the eyes. “Don’t make me do this.”

I only growled more and lowered myself to lunge at her. Her eyes widened when she saw what I was planning on doing.

“Don’t. Nyx. Don’t do it. Don’t make me hurt you.”

I ignored her and lunged. The last thing I remembered was hearing her scream and the pain of being electrocuted. Then nothing.

 

_What are you doing, Nyx Allistar_ , a old woman’s voice said to me.

I opened my eyes, but I only saw light. Was I dead finally?

_You’re not dead, child. She got your heart started again._

An old woman emerged from the light and walked towards me.

I sighed and said, _It’s you._

_Yes, Nyx. You’re doing it again._

_What am I doing again, Nomon?_

_You’re trying to run away again._

_I’m not running, Nomon. I’m trying to end this. I’m too dangerous._

_To whom, child._

_To everyone. It’s not safe to let anyone close to me._

_Why do you think that?_

_I killed my brother. Killed Lexa’s sisters. Killed people who trusted me. I nearly killed Clarke, Nomon. I can’t risk it. I won’t._

_Nyx, Echo made you think that your brother and her sisters and all those others were your enemy. You did what anyone would do if they thought that their people were being killed. It was an unforeseen tragedy. You’ve paid the price for that already._

_You should have let me die then, Nomon._

_Then you wouldn’t be here to broker peace between your lovers, Nyx. If you weren’t alive, Lexa would have killed everyone here and burned it to the ground. She would have never known that the people here are worth saving._

_Are the humans really worth saving, Nomon? Our world is slowly killing them and they cannot be trusted not to harm our kind._

_You are not the judge in deciding who is worth saving, Nyx Allistar. Your job is save them regardless._

I scoffed, _My job is to save them. How? I can’t even save myself. I don’t want to save myself._

_I didn’t save you all those times to just have you squander your life away and then run when things got too hard again. Your people need you, my child. I created you because this world needs someone as special as you. They need the people you have surrounded yourself with._

_So, you’re telling me that without me, the world will what? End? That the people that I have gathered to me will fall apart and tragedy will befall the world? No one mortal has that kind of power, Nomon. I am not the one you want. I’m not worth it. Just let me die so that they can move on._

_That’s my point, Nyx Allistar. If you die, they won’t be able to. The humans in the bunker will riot and your people will be forced to kill them. That will destroy them and they will turn their anger on the Forest Pack. Which will bring the Coalition into the territory and destroy the pack. Everyone and everything you love will be gone, if you die._

_Why me, Nomon? Why did you choose me? What makes me so special that my life has that much responsibility on its shoulders?_

_Because your spirit has shown me many times before the strength, the nobility, the loyalty, the purity, the integrity, the honesty, the goodness and the darkness that is needed in this world. Things are changing again and I need you there to help keep the balance. That is why I chose you. What makes you so special. I know you’ve had a hard life, Nyx. That life is what makes you stronger. The people around you support and love you unconditionally. Allow yourself to be vulnerable with them. You’ll draw strength from those deepened bonds. I can’t make another one like you, Nyx. I really did break the mold when I created you._

_So, I have to persevere and push myself past my limits?_

She smiled at me and laid a hand on my cheek and said, _Child, you haven’t even come close to reaching your limits. Your powers are truly limitless, a never ending well of power. They only reason why you haven’t realized that is because you only thought you had a limit like everyone else, but you don’t. You need to pass it on eventually._

_Great, I’m even more dangerous than I thought._

_You’re only dangerous to your enemies. You can train yourself to limit your powers around your allies. You just have to will it like with all powers and you’ll never put them at risk again._

_Mind over matter. Limitless power. Change is coming. And I’m meant to help keep the balance?_

_Yes, Nyx. You are my lynchpin and I need you to get over yourself and get back to fighting strength. You still have Jaha to contend with._

_How the hell do I even deal with him. I can’t kill him, can I?_

She smiled, _No, you can’t. Give him what he wants. Show him that the world is a much crueler place to those without powers. When he sees the world for what it is, he will be much more understanding and willing to toe the line._

_Very well, Nomon. I’ll stop trying to kill myself and I’ll fight to get better._

_That is all that I ask, Nyx. Now let’s forget we had this little conversation, shall we?_

 

I woke up in massive amounts of pain and moaned as I tried to take a deep breath. I opened my eyes and found myself still in the closet. I rolled onto my belly and slowly took stock of myself. Nothing broken, just the severe pain in my chest. She must have shot her lightning directly at my heart to keep me from hurting her. I sighed in regret at having to force her to do that. I strained my hearing and I could hear her crying softly in the other room. I got up slowly onto my legs and took a few shaky steps out of the closet before I had to lay down again. I panted until I got my breath back and my heart slowed. I shifted and it was a slow one. My body protested the shift and the wolf didn’t want to relinquish control. I just reminded ourselves that the woman we loved was crying in the other room, because she shocked us hard enough to kill us and then had to bring us back. She backed off and I finished shifting. 

Sighing at seeing arms and hands where there had been paws, I slowly climbed to my feet. I treaded carefully out of the bedroom and peaked around the corner to see where Clarke was. I spotted her laying on the couch, crying into the back. I took a breath and walked into the living area. I kneeled quietly by her head and laid a hand gently on her back. She jumped and shocked me away from her. I landed hard against the coffee table and crumpled from the pain. I heard her gasp and come down next to me.

“Nyx,” she cried. “Nyx!”

I slowly raised myself from the ground and looked at her with all the love I felt for her.

“Nyx,” she said again and hugged me, making me cry out in pain.

She quickly let me go and shoved the table out of the way. Unceremoniously, she pulled my shirt up and with the gentlest touches examined my back. Then she made me take the shirt off to look at my chest.

I smiled at her and stopped her hand with my own and pushed them against my heart. She looked up at me and burst into tears. Gathering her to me, I let her cry herself out again.

“I’m so sorry, Clarke,” I whispered into her hair. “I should have never put you into that position. I’m so sorry. Please say you’ll forgive me.”

“I killed you, Nyx,” she said through her tears. “I killed you.”

“I know,” I said softly. “I gave you no choice. I was just in such a dark place in that moment. I forced you to do what I wanted. I shouldn’t have ever done that, Clarke. It was selfish of me and cowardly.”

“Then I, then I started your heart again and you wouldn’t wake up. Why wouldn’t you wake up?”

I thought about it, but there was only a vague memory of something profound and I couldn’t grasp it, so I said, “I don’t know. I’m sorry I scared you.”

“I thought I lost you, Nyx. For good.”

“Wanna kill me again for putting you through that,” I asked.

She shook her head, “No, I think shocking you into the coffee table was good enough.”

I chuckled softly, “That’s good. I’m not sure my torso can take much more punishment tonight.”

“Are you in a lot of pain? There’s some medicine somewhere. I can go get some,” she said as she made to move.

I shook my head and smiled, “No. No, I don’t need anything, Clarke. I’m fine. Or I will be after a few hours of sleep.”

“Oh,” she said and settled herself more comfortably. “Nyx?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you really, really back this time?”

“Yes, Clarke. No more shifting unless I need to, not because I’m trying to avoid something unpleasant.”

“Good. That’s good.”

“You have no idea how badly I’ve been wanting to hold you like this, Clarke,” I said quietly. “I tried so many times to shift, but I just couldn’t. Even now, it was slow and I had to really fight for it. But I did. I did it because I didn’t want to hurt you anymore.”

“Did you do it for yourself, too?”

“Yes. I don’t want to keep living in the darkness, Clarke.”

“Good, because I love you and I don’t want to lose you to the darkness again.”

“I don’t think I’ll be allowed there anymore.”

“Why do you say that?”

“A vague memory.”

“Nyx, look at me please,” she asked and I looked down at her.

I smiled, “I’m really here. You’re not dreaming. I’m not doing that again.”

She nodded and brought my head down for a kiss. It deepened naturally, but there was no need to rush. There was only a need for love.

She giggled when our lips parted, making me chuckle. She stood up and held out a hand to me. I took it and she helped me up and then guided me to the bedroom. It was a long, slow, drawn out night where I bared my soul to her and she embraced it.

 

I woke up to the incessant beeping of the communicator and growled at the annoyance. Clarke tensed underneath me and I immediately stopped.

“Sorry,” I said and kissed her bared shoulder. “The communicator is going bonkers.”

She rolled until she was looking up at me and smiled, “You’re still you.”

I leaned down and kissed her gently and said, “Yes, I am still me. Can I kill the communicator now?”

She laughed, “No. I’d better answer it, though. I didn’t talk with them at all yesterday.”

“You didn’t tell them what happened,” I asked as I sat up.

She shook her head as she got out of bed and rifled through the clothes until she found it, “No. I didn’t have the heart to tell anyone that I nearly killed you.”

She climbed back into bed and I pulled her to me as she answered.

“Yes?”

“Clarke,” Sephy said, “Thank god you answered. I was about to send the guards in to check on you. Is everything alright?”

“Yeah,” she replied. “Everything is fine. We just had a bit of a hiccup yesterday, but we’re doing much better.”

“Hiccup?”

“Nyx and I had a bit of a rough misunderstanding, but we’re okay now.”

“How rough of a misunderstanding?”

“I tried to kill her, she killed me and then brought me back to life,” I answered before Clarke could try to lie.

“Nyx! Is that really you,” Sephy screamed.

I grinned, “Yes, baby sis. It’s really me. Yesterday proved to me that I was truly being a giant jackass and coward, so I decided to stop.”

“Everybody is going to be so thrilled. Thank you, Clarke. I don’t care how you did it, but thank you!”

Clarke laughed, “Your welcome, but you know we still can’t be bombarded with people. She may be back, but we’re not out of the woods yet. This is going to take time, Seph.”

We heard her groan and then she said, “I know. It’s just I want to come down there right now and kick your ass, Nyx. I’ve aged because of you being such a complete and total fucking idiot. Do you have any idea what you’ve done to people. You will have hell to pay. Mark my words. Your day will come and you will be on your ass for most of it.”

I grimaced but replied, “And I deserve all of it. Just try to stick it out for awhile longer. I’m not blocking anymore either. Just don’t yell at me 24/7 like I know you want to.”

“Fine. Just don’t do this again. I couldn’t take it.”

“I swear on Mother Earth that I will not close myself off like this again or try to permanently wolf out.”

“Good. So can I spread the word?”

Clarke looked up at me and I shrugged and said, “Sure. I guess. Just no rushing to see me or talk to me. I’m not leaving the bunker anytime soon.”

“God, Lexa, Dani, and Scarlett will be so thrilled when I tell them.”

“Just remind them not to yell at me too much. I’m still touchy.”

“You know that’s going to be nearly impossible with them. I have also found out that when Scarlett get’s pissed she gets scary polite. Like Southern Belle polite laced with venom.”

“That’s my girl,” I said with a wry chuckle. “She’s the devil’s own when she gets angry. God, I hope she goes easy on me.”

“Well, look. Now that I’ve got you both on the line. There is some news that needs to be passed on.”

“Alright,” Clarke said cautiously.

“There was a riot after the morning class. The humans tried to gang up on the guards that were present. Some 12 strong against 40 humans. The guards had to use their powers to stop the riot. No one killed, but nearly all the 40 are being treated for broken bones, ruptured lungs, concussions, impalement, and minor injuries. We’ve cancelled the classes indefinitely and we’re pulling in more pack members.”

“That’s not good,” Clarke said worriedly. “What was the overall reaction to the riot?”

“The humans are scared shitless. We won’t allow Bellamy in the quarantine without at least 5 guards. He’s not happy about it, but we can’t risk his safety. They’re frightened and some of them still want to fight back. They’re also demanding the release of Jaha. They don’t believe what we’ve told them about how humans are treated and that they’re slowly dying. They think that it’s only a scare tactic to keep them in check.”

“That’s really not good, Seph,” I said thinking. “I wish I had an answer for you, but right now I don’t. Sorry.”

“It’s okay, sis. It’s why we’re bringing more men in. If they’ve rioted, they’ll try it again and again. And when we have our first casualty is when shit will really hit the fan.”

“The worse thing we can do is to shut them off completely. Keep letting Bellamy in to show that we’re willing to listen. Even if they won’t really talk to him without the guards. Hopefully, seeing him willing to listen will give them time to think about what it is they’re really hoping to accomplish. I know it’s unfair to ask Bellamy to do this, but he’s our only hope in trying to convince them otherwise.”

“What if Kane or I went with him a couple of times,” Clarke suggested.

“No,” we both replied loudly. 

“No,” Sephy said. “We can’t risk either one of you. Especially you, Clarke. They may see you or Octavia as the ones who brought this on them. And they know that Kane was someone they could trust in the past, but now that he’s one of us, that throws that trust right out of the window. I’m sorry, it’s just too risky. And we sure as hell can’t let Jaha back into the populace. That’ll just get them all killed.”

She sighed heavily and leaned back against me. I wrapped my arms tighter around her and kissed the top of her head.

“I hate this,” she said. “I grew up with these people. They’ve been my friends and now I have to be afraid of them. There’s just no easy way out of this. I’m almost tempted to say let’s ship them out and place them all along the East Coast and shove reality down their throats.”

“Well,” I said, “technically we can do that. But it would bring us under the Coalition’s attention which we agree would be bad. So, that’s not the answer.”

“Wait,” Sephy said. “What if we sent out a few of them? The ones we have in Solitary say. Give them enough food and money to last a week and then drop them down in the middle of Old Towne or somewhere else nearby.”

“And make sure Jaha is one of them,” I said thinking fast. “Show them what it really is like for the humans outside this camp.”

“Well, that would show the ones that we take out of the territory, but what about everyone else. They’ll just think we killed them.”

“Not if we implant them with microscopic camera lens in their eyes. We could give them live footage of what happens to them. If they die, they see them die. If they’re captured and sold into slavery, they’ll see that to. At a minimum, they’ll see that even with what money they have, no one will be willing to take it or if they do they won’t get anything in return,” I said, thinking out loud.

“I like it,” Sephy said, “But would your council agree to this, Clarke?”

“I don’t know. At this point, it appears that what we’ve been trying to do is not working. Maybe it’s time we started playing hardball with them and stopped trying to be their friends. Get with Raven and Monty and see about creating these lenses. And we’ll set up a meeting to go over our options.”

“Sounds like a plan. God, I’ve missed you, Nyx. This is exactly why we need you for this situation. And why we need Clarke, too.”

I laughed, “I’m just sorry that it took this long to get my head out of my ass.”

“No worries, sis,” she said. “I’ll set everything up and we’ll let you know when it’s time for the council meeting.”

“Thank you, Sephy,” Clarke said. “You’ve got a good head on your shoulders. Your mom would be proud of how well you’ve handled everything so far.”

“Thanks, Clarke. That means a lot coming from you. Now, I am going to let you go and recover. I’ll talk to y’all soon.”

“Bye,” we said and Clarke laid the communicator on the nightstand.

“What do you think about this,” she asked me.

“About sending some of them out and then letting the humans see a live broadcast of what happens outside the camp?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s a good one. It’s better then just killing them all or beating them into submission,” I replied. “It proves that we’re just not blowing smoke up their asses to keep them in line. I don’t know what’s going to happen to the ones we send out, but it’ll be the truth. Sometimes you really do have to see something with your own eyes to believe what you’re being told.”

“So, we’re doing the right thing, then?”

“I don’t know if it’s the right thing, but it’s our best option to get them to understand. And we need them to understand.”

She nodded and then said, “Well, I need to understand something.”

“Oh, and what is that?”

“I need to understand how much you love me.”

I grinned, “And how can I help you understand the depth of my love for you, Clarke.”

She straddled my lap and with a grin, told me exactly how to help her understand.

 

A few hours later, I was in the kitchen cooking while Clarke still slept in the bedroom, when I felt a mental caress.

_Lexa, love. I’m here._

_You really are, aren’t you?_

_I am. I’m sorry._

_It’s my fault. I didn’t remember that Lincoln had been there that day._

_Lincoln’s good at his job, Lex. He was an obvious choice. He’s always known for opening his mouth and inserting his foot ass deep. I just wasn’t expecting him and it threw me off hard when I saw him again. And I know you didn’t have the time to send me a roster to look over before they arrived._

_True. I’m just glad that you’re here again._

_So am I. I don’t ever want to go down that path again. And I still have a long way to go before I can be comfortable again in my own skin. I don’t know when I’m going to be able to take control of the pack unit here._

_I understand. Just get better, please._

_I want to, so I will. I’m mad at myself because the only reason I’m back is because I forced Clarke to kill me. I had to have a come to Jesus moment to get my head outta my ass._

_Jesus, Nyx! Of all the idiotic, psychotic, stupidest shit you could have done, you made Clarke kill you? You are such an asshole!_

_I know. I know. That’s just where my head was at. It was cowardly of me to do that and to hide myself from facing everything. I saw it, but I couldn’t stop myself. It was just so dark, Lexa. I was drowning in it. I just wanted it all to stop._

_Was that how you felt when you were banished?_

_Yes. I thought I had already lost everything and everybody back then and I couldn’t live with that guilt. This time I thought I was protecting everyone from myself and I didn’t want to live with the possible guilt if I killed people I loved. The guilt is still there, Lexa. It never left me. I still live with it every day alongside the pain. It’s why his words sent me out of control again. It made it more real for me. And I lost it._

_So, what happens now?_

_Now, I have to learn to live with the guilt and the pain and not let it control me. That’s the hardest part is not letting it control me. There are going to be days where I won’t want to get out of bed. Where I’ll be inconsolable. Where I’ll contemplate suicide. Where I’ll just be a complete and total bitch. But there will also be good days too. When I’m on top of my game. Where I’ll laugh and joke. Where no one will have to worry about saying the wrong thing to me. The goal is to make the good days happen more than my bad. It took me five years to learn to cope without aid. I’m hoping that it won’t take me so long this time around. That’s my goal. I’m just going to need a lot of help reaching it._

_And you’ll have that help, Nyx. I swear to you that you will._

_Thank you. I’m gonna have to let you go. I hear Clarke waking up in the other room and the food’s just about done._

_I see at least one thing is already back to normal. I’ll touch base with you later. I will be able to, right?_

_Yes, my love. I’m not blocking anymore._

_Good. Give Dani my love._

_I will._

I turned off the stove and set the food on the plates before I headed back into the bedroom. I leaned against the doorframe as I watched her languidly stretch, making me smile.

“Do I smell food,” she asked as she finished stretching and looked at me expectantly.

“You do in fact smell food, niron,” I said as I sat beside her on the bed. “Just finished. All that’s missing is you.”

She laughed and gave me a hug, “I’m am so glad that you’re back to you again. I am a horrible cook.”

“You are,” I said with a kiss. “I must make the effort to teach you.”

“Mmm, you can teach me whatever you want, Nyx. I will gladly learn.”

I laughed, “Enough, wench. You haven’t eaten since sometime yesterday.”

Her stomach agreed and she laughed as she got out of bed. She got dressed and we sat down to eat together for the first time in almost two weeks. We took the time to really start talking about ourselves. I regaled her with tales of my misspent youth and she told me what it was like growing up in the bunker. 

We were nearly through the meal when the computer chimed. She leaned over to answer it and found Kane on the other end.

“Nyx, good to see you again,” Kane said. “It hasn’t been the same without the two of you here.”

“Good to see you, too, Kane,” I answered. “Are we having the council meeting now?”

“Yes. The humans have jumped our timeline since this morning,” he replied.

“What happened,” Clarke asked.

“The humans that we had taken to the medical wing took some of the medical staff hostage and demanded that everyone be released from quarantine or they’d begin killing the staff,” he explained.

“Okay. What’d you do?”

“We immediately cut the vents off and sucked out the air forcing them to collapse and then turned the vents back on and pumped in sleeping gas.”

“A bit on the dramatic side,” I said. “So, where are we on that?”

“We’ve placed all of the beds on the ground, removed anything that could be used as a weapon and created eyebolts embedded into the ground and now have them all shackled to them. The ones that needed IVs are in a separate area from the others”

“Did we lose anyone,” Clarke asked.

“Unfortunately, yes,” Kane said sadly. “We lost one of the staff members when the person who held them collapsed and severed his throat. We also lost two humans who were barely out of surgery.”

“Damn,” I said slamming my fist on the table and making Clarke jump. “Do the rest of the humans know what happened?”

“No. We’re not planning on telling them anything.”

“Good. Did Raven and Monty come up with a lens?”

The camera panned to Raven and she replied, “We did and did you one better. An implant that will project visual and audio directly from the person that it is inside to monitors that we’re installing in the commons areas and along the hallways of the quarantine area.”

I smiled, “Perfect. Does this mean we all agree on the mission?”

“After yesterday’s riot and this morning’s hostage situation,” Bellamy said and the camera panned to him. “I have no qualms about sending some of them out to get a taste of the real world. I sure as hell didn’t like it, but I had Octavia and Clarke with me. They won’t have anybody.”

“So, the mission is a go,” Kane said, camera once again turning to him. “The implants are ready and working perfectly. They’ll be injected into the base of the skull of our prisoners, who will then be loaded up into a transport with enough food and water to last them a week, plus enough money to pay for at least on night in a motel room if they can get it. The transport will take them directly into the middle of Old Towne where they will be dropped off and it will return immediately to the border. They’ll also be given a brand to identify them if they make it back to the border and will be allowed in and returned to camp.”

“Very well planned out,” I said as I leaned back. “I can see nothing wrong with it.”

“Neither can I,” said Clarke, “but I would like to add something to the plan. I know that we’ve marked some of the buildings for deconstruction. Why not also give them a bigger example of what we can do. Take a couple of earth mages and have the earth swallow the building whole. Have them make a big show of it.”

I grinned and said, “I like where you’re going with it. By the time they see it, the implants should be working and the humans should be in the common areas for breakfast.”

“Which would show them that we could bring down the quarantine area without damaging the rest of the bunker,” Kane said shocked.

“Exactly. It’s tacky, it’s a waste of power, and will frighten them even more. The downside is that it could incite another riot just out of fear.”

“I’ll make sure we have plenty of guards in there to squash any chance of that,” Sephy said.

“So what is this, a game now,” Bellamy said coldly. “Ooh, let’s see how frightened we can make the puny humans. Let’s let them fear us so that they’ll do whatever we say. Let’s show them who’s got the biggest set of balls. Come on, this is getting out of hand. Our goal is to help them understand what’s going on and why we need cooperation. Willing cooperation from them. You’re not going to get that if you keep showing off your powers.”

I sat back feeling like shit suddenly and so did everyone else.

“You’re right, Bellamy,” Octavia said. “If we did this, it would just be like when they thought it was funny to shock someone they only thought was a wolf. We can’t stoop to that level.”

“I’m sorry, Bellamy,” Clarke said. “I shouldn’t have been so thoughtless. Thank you. Are you still okay with sending them out tomorrow?”

He sighed, “Yeah. They need to see and then we need to impress on them that we don’t want them to have to deal with that reality. Do we have any options that may be doable if we can get to a peace summit?”

“Nyx,” Sephy asked. “You’ve been dealing with this the longest. Do you have any thoughts?”

“A few,” I said sitting up. “The obvious one is that they remain here under the protection of the Manassas Pack and mages. Downside is how will the Coalition perceive such a large gathering of humans. Secondly, would be to distribute the humans throughout the territory in small communities. Like hiding in plain sight. Downside to that, would be that they would be forced to rely mostly on themselves without pack protection or the ability to trade with any of the border packs. Thirdly, would to just shove them out of the territory along the East Coast and wish them good luck. The Forest Pack would have to deny any involvement in the distribution. Fourthly, we brand them and either sell them at a special slave market or spread them out into the other packs within the territory. Lastly, would be to give them their own territory between ours and a willing ally. Lack of protection and limited trading.”

“If we went with creating a new territory,” she asked. “Which pack do you think would be our best option?”

“Um, if nothing has changed in the last eight years, I’d say the Floridian Pack would be our best option. Since it’s made up of the small predators, they might actually see it as a benefit to have the humans there as an added source of protection and possible big game hunters.”

“What would happen to the territory if the humans did begin to die off,” Bellamy asked.

“Probably reabsorbed back into the original territory or territories if each gave up an equal portion.”

“I’ll make sure de Pakstoka knows what you think,” she said. “Of course, this is all contingent on the humans. If we can’t receive any cooperation, the only real option is to kick them out of the territory using force and wipe our hands clean of them.”

“So, you expect us to abandon our own people if they refuse to listen,” Bellamy asked defensively.

“If you want to continue living within the Forest Pack territory, you’ll have to,” I said. “Any that don’t want to abandon them are free to leave with them, but they’ll never be allowed back into the territory.”

“Pack safety is paramount,” Sephy explained. “We won’t endanger the entire pack because a small group refuses to give up their humans. We’re being lenient enough as it is letting this go on for as long as it has. If we don’t have it resolved by Spring…”

“Then it doesn’t matter what we want. The decision will be made for us.”

“Yes.”

“Nyx,” Bellamy asked. “Do you agree with her?”

“Yes. We have until Spring to resolve this. If we can’t, then I’m sorry, but the humans will have to go,” I answered truthfully. “Like Seph said, pack safety is paramount and we won’t risk going to war with the Coalition over humans. That’s the equivalent to suicide.”

“We’re sorry that we have to put it like that, Bellamy,” Sephy said. “We know that is not how any of you were raised or that it’s hard to imagine going to war over something as simple as a large population of humans in the wrong area, but this is our reality. We have to place nice with the Coalition if we want to continue to survive as a pack and keep our territory.”

“You all keep telling us that you want to keep the Coalition out of the territory and your business. Wouldn’t it be simpler to have them come and and make a ruling,” he asked.

“Nothing with the Coalition is simple, Bellamy,” I replied. “They don’t just simply come in and help resolve an issue. No, they completely dismantle the infrastructure and create a new one that is completely under their control. Packs lose their autonomy and the territory becomes Coalition owned and operated.”

“All that because a pack asked for their help?”

“To ask for their help means that you are too weak to handle the situation yourself. If you’re weak, you’re exploited. You need to be controlled. The leadership is not fit enough to run the pack nor operate a successful territory. If the situation bleeds outside a territory’s border and begins to affect another, they come in and rectify the situation. Not with finesse, but with a sledgehammer. No one, and I mean no one, wants them to get a whiff of a situation that may be out of control.”

“I think we’re getting off topic here,” Kane interjected. “We’ve decided that six people, including Jaha, will be transported to Old Towne tomorrow morning after having received a telecommunications implant and a brand identifying them to the Forest Pack border patrols. They are to be given enough food and water for a week and money. The humans in quarantine will be able to watch what happens to them and so will we. The goal of this is to show the humans that what they have here is a lot better than what waits for them on the other side of the border. This is an effort to gain cooperation with them, so that they may actually have a say to what happens to them before Spring arrives. Does everyone agree to this?”

Agreement from everyone ended the meeting and everyone went back to what they needed to do.

“I think you should be there in the morning, Clarke,” I said softly.

She looked at me in surprise and asked, “Why? Kane is perfectly capable of handling this.”

I looked at her and with a small smile replied, “Because you are the Council Leader, not Kane. Indra, Dani, and Seph will be there in my stead because I mentally cannot step beyond that door. You, on the other hand, have no such issues. Just because I can’t doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t. I don’t want you to put a stop on your life for me, Clarke.”

“I’m not putting a stop on my life, Nyx,” she said, taking my hands. “It’s why I had the computer system set up. So, that I can continue my work and still be here for you.”

“I know that, love. But, I’ve seen how bored you’ve been. This part of my recovery is about pushing beyond what I currently feel as safe. One of those is to have you leave here and leaving me alone. Even if it is for only ten minutes. It’s not healthy to use you as a crutch or a safety blanket that I need 24/7.”

“If I’m out there tomorrow, it won’t be for 10 minutes, Nyx,” she said carefully. “It’s probably going to take several hours.”

“True, but you’ll have your communicator on you and I’ll be able to see what’s going on out there, so I have that to help.”

“Do you really want to try this so soon?”

“Not really,” I said, chuckling. “But it’s necessary. We need to resolve the human situation before Spring, which means I need to be back on my feet and outside this room way before then.”

“At least you’re honest,” she replied with a smile. “Alright. I’ll do it. If it means that much to you.”

“It does. Thank you,” I said and pulled her into a kiss.

She sighed and leaned her head against me and said, “Our food got cold.”

I looked down at our plates and said, “Would you like me to make you something?”

“No,” she said and picked up a link of sausage and bit into it. “It’s still good.”

“Alright,” I said with a smile and we finished eating our cold lunch.

Clarke washed the dishes and I took a long shower. When I came out of the bedroom, she was laid out on the couch with a book she must have found.

“Did you find something to read,” I asked as I sat her up and laid her back against me.

“I did,” she said and showed me the cover. “It takes place after the Second World War in Scotland. The main character, a woman, comes across a circle of standing stones, like Stonehenge but much smaller, and she ends up falling back into time 200 years. It puts her right before the Scottish Highlanders try to take Scotland out of the hands of British control. It’s interesting. I’ve only just gotten to the part were she has fallen through the stones.” 

“Ah, you must be referring to the Jacobite Rising of 1745,” I said. “The conflict really did happen and the Highlanders were decimated. Many of the men who fought or thought to have ties to the Rising were found guilty of treason and subsequently imprisoned, executed, or placed on transport ships and sent to the British colonies here. Clan chiefs no longer had any kind of judicial power and wearing clan colors, tartans, were outlawed. The Scottish education shifted to become more geared towards the Monarchy of England and the Church of England to stop future generations from becoming disenfranchised of the British Empire.”

“How do you know about this,” she asked.

“It’s part of my family history,” I replied as I kissed the top of her head. “The Allistars have ties to Scotland and Ireland.”

“Wow,” she replied impressed. “So, your family history is important to you.”

“Not just me,” I replied with a smile, “It’s important to all of us in my family. Everything that has happened in our family, we take it as an opportunity to learn from it and then teach what we learn.”

“Is there anything you don’t fully commit to, Nyx?”

I chuckled, “No. When I commit. I commit fully. Heart, mind, body, and soul. As do all Allistars.”

“Hmm, I’ll remember that. So, now that you’re done with your shower. I’ll take my own,” she said, sitting up.

I grinned, “And I shall try to find something to occupy my time.”

She laughed and gave me a kiss, “Behave yourself. I won’t be long.”

“Mmm, where’s the fun in that.”

She smacked me on the arm and left. I leaned back on the couch and reflected on the last week and a half. I still couldn’t quite grasp exactly why Lincoln’s words had affected me so much and so violently. Was it because of the image he invoked? I remembered his family. I remembered them all being there that day. It wasn’t odd that entire families would serve at the same time in the same unit. I remember seeing the photos of those that I had killed. It had been a surreal moment and the photos didn’t go with what I remembered, but it was physical evidence of what I’d done. I could easily imagine what I’d done to cause this one’s death or another’s, so him saying he watched me as I killed his family shouldn’t have sent me over the edge. I remembered the fear that I felt when I saw him and that I took a step backwards because of it. Why was I fearful? I wasn’t fearful of Gustus nor Lexa. I should have been, but I hadn’t. 

So, the question that I needed to find the answer to, was why did he cause me to want to back down in fear when I’d never done it before? Why did I freeze when he spoke? Why couldn’t I respond until Clarke held my hand? There was something about him specifically that caused my reaction. It had nothing to do with the sudden image overlaying the memory I had. Nor the words that he spoke, because Gustus pretty much told me the same thing. It had to be him. But what?

_Indra?_

_Nyx? How good it is to hear your mind voice. Is everything okay?_

_Yes. I’ve been thinking about the why of my break and I have a question. Was Lincoln with his family when they left to join me at the Northern Border?_

_Actually, no he wasn’t. He took a few men to help the Western Pack with a flooded pass four days prior to the call._

_Do you know if all of them left to join me after they were done?_

_They were instructed to, yes._

_When did they leave the Western Border to go to the Northern?_

_They would have arrived the day of the incident. What are you thinking?_

_He should not have affected me like he did. No one holds that kind of dominance over me, but I got fearful and couldn’t move or talk. And when Gustus came and saw me, there was no fear. Nor was there any when I saw Lexa. I felt fine speaking with them and interacting with everybody else. He’s been the only one. Then there’s the fact that I was shown photos of what I’d done when I was questioned afterwards. It’s true that I was in shock and denial at the time, but even now when I can see those photos vividly, all it does is make me feel the usual amount of guilt and pain that has remained since then._

_So, you’re saying that you shouldn’t have had a break with just him speaking about watching you kill his family in front of his eyes._

_Right. Now there were survivors, right?_

_Right._

_Who were they?_

_The men with Lincoln and another unit from the Western Border. They were all heavily injured and had to be taken to the hospital immediately._

_Were their injuries consistent as coming from me?_

_I don’t know. You’d have to speak with the hospital staff that handled them._

_This is going to sound like a stretch, Indra, but what if something happened to them on the Western Border while they were there. Like another mind manipulation. The man who tried to kill me my first day here in the territory was a survivor. Gustus admitted it. Then I come across Lincoln, another survivor and I have a break where I almost killed Clarke and have wanted nothing more than to kill myself because of it. Right now, it’s just a coincidence, but what if it’s not._

_You mean, you think it’s possible that this Echo is playing the long game with you?_

_I think it’s possible that she could have very well put contingencies in place if I lived and was in the territory. At some point, I would have had to come across one or two of the survivors. Why not manipulate them to manipulate me into dying, either by their hands or my own._

_So, how can we test your theory?_

_Maybe start by showing Lincoln the picture of Echo. See if he recognizes her. Unfortunately, there’s no way a brain scan can show this kind of manipulation. It’s flawless. Find the rest of the survivors and do the same thing. Get their medical records and compare their injuries with those that were on the dead._

_I can most certainly do that, but what if no one recognizes her? Right now, it’s too soon for you to even come out and see if there’s a reaction with or from these people._

_I know it’s a long shot, Indra. But there’s just something about this whole thing that feels off. I should not have had this bad of a reaction. My nightmares should have increased in frequency, not a full blown out regression._

_All right, I’ll do it. Just don’t exert yourself over something like this. You want to get better not worse._

_Yes, ma’am. I understand. Goodnight, Indra._

_Good night, Nyx. And try to get some real rest._

_No promises._

“Well, you were certainly off in you head for a while,” Clarke said as she came to sit next to me.

I blushed, “Sorry, I was speaking to Indra over something that had occurred to me.”

“Care to share?”

“No harm in it. More minds the better really,” I said and settled the two of us more comfortably. “I was thinking about my reaction to Lincoln. I realized that the way I reacted was the complete opposite of how I normally react when someone speaks to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Because of how powerful I am, I don’t submit to anyone. Not even Lexa. I recognize her as my pack leader and therefore I act accordingly. When Lincoln spoke, I was frozen in fear. I wanted to run away, but I couldn’t move, speak, or think. I could only listen. When he said that he watched me kill his family, it was shocking, but he didn’t go into too great of a detail. Just me ripping their throats out. Truthfully, hearing how I kill in my wolf form is nothing new. When I came to myself after the incident, I was shown picture after picture of the people I’d killed. Along with evidence showing that it could have only been done by me.”

“You’re saying that the fear you felt shouldn’t have happened and that him describing what happened shouldn’t have bothered you much more than the images you’d already seen?”

“Right. I am dominate among dominates. I can still vividly recall the photos that were shown to me and still function on a normal level.”

“You were manipulated to see the Ice Pack murdering your men when you returned from where’d you gone to by a single woman.”

“Right, the Ice Pack spy. She’s the one that got Gustus to leak information about Lexa and the pack to the Bear King. She’s also the one I ran into when I had to blow up an unauthorized Ice Pack compound. The mark on my hip is from her. She was also the one that broke into my home and blew it up.”

“You’re thinking that she may have done more to keep you from taking your rightful place as Second?”

“That’s my theory and it’s what I would do. I love contingencies over contingencies. That way if one fails, one of the others will succeed. Now, the first day I arrived back in Clifton, I was attacked in my bathroom by a survivor of the incident. He nearly succeeded in killing me. Then comes Lincoln, also a survivor, and he opens up his mouth and a chain reaction occurs. I nearly kill you, which then makes me want to kill myself or turn wolf permanently. If either of these two separate incidents had been successful, Gustus would have stayed as Second and the spying would have never been found out or Lexa would’ve been permanently without a Second. My mother would have refused to step up and Seph isn’t trained in handling a large pack.”

“And you told Indra this?”

“Yes. She’s agreed to show Lincoln and the rest of the survivors a photo of the spy and have the medical staff that worked on the survivors compare their injuries with the ones I used to kill. I’m starting to think that they won’t match. The reason being, is that based on what I recall of the photos, I didn’t let go until I knew the person was good and dead and then tossed them aside and moved on to the next person.”

“What if they don’t recall seeing this woman or if the images do match?”

“Then it remains a theory until it can be proven or disproven otherwise. I’m not planning on fixating on it, or at least consciously I won’t .”

“At least, you’re being healthy about this,” she said as she snuggled closer to me.

I chuckled drily, “I’ve been through this once before, unfortunately. I know how my mind works and I know what’s probably going to happen. Which makes me better prepared. Which means I can catch myself or let others know when something feels different.”

“Does that mean nightmares?”

“Nightmares, arguments, I’ll try to beat myself up, I’ll hide, cry, sleep all day, and so on. This isn’t going to be easy, Clarke. I am going to be mean to you. I’m going to try to push you away. I’m going to throw things at you. I’m going to be on both ends of the spectrum in what I say to you. You still willing to stay here with me day in and day out?”

“Yes. I love you, Nyx. I won’t leave you. I may run away crying, but I’ll always come back, because I know you’re not really meaning it.”

“Then that’s all I can ask of you, Clarke. I will do my hardest to beat this. For myself, for you, and for everyone else that cares and loves me.”

“And I will do the same,” she said and kissed me to seal the promise. “So, what do we do now?”

“In regards to what, love?”

“The rest of today. The meeting is over and done with. There are no pressing concerns that we need to take care of. It’s too early for dinner and bed. So, what do you want to do, because I have no idea.”

“Um, how about I help you train with your powers? I may not be able to use mine, but I can still help you.”

“Could you,” she asked excitedly. “It’s been bothering me that I only seem to have a little bit of control and most of what happens is reactive.”

I nodded, “Then we shall work on that. Now, scoot back from me a bit. I don’t want to get shocked anymore than I have already.”

She chuckled and moved a way from me.

“Now, we say that you’re a lightning mage and it’s true, but you’re more than that. You actually have control over electricity. This means that everything that runs on electricity, you can manipulate or pull the electricity from it.”

“So, I’m not just pushing out an electrostatic discharge?”

“Well, that is what comes from you,” I said carefully, “That well of power inside of you is like a capacitor and when you call it up or use it, that’s the discharge. You actually have the ability to recharge yourself from an outside electrical source, whereas most of us have to rebuild the power over a period of time. For someone like me, I use less of my own power when I have a nearby power source like a flame or the ground, but it still comes from me.”

“If I don’t want to use my own power, I can pull it from somewhere else and use that instead?”

“Yes,” I said with a grin. “And I’m about to show you how.”

She tried to look at me serious, but there was a smile that constantly played at her lips and making me smile.

“Okay, you see the light above us,” I said and she nodded. “Now, close your eyes and listen for the electrical hum that comes from it. Let me know when you hear it.”

She closed her eyes and tilted her head slightly as she listened for it and then she said, “I hear it.”

“Good. Now open your eyes and hold out your hand.”

She did and looked at me expectantly.

“Now, this is the important part. What you’re going to do is draw that electricity that you hear into the palm of your hand. But you want to do it slowly, so you don’t create a surge of energy. Too quick and one of us will get hurt, too slow and it’ll fizzle out into the air on it’s own. Think of it like you’ve pulled the plug holding water inside a container and there’s a slow steady stream of water falling into your cupped hand. It’ll naturally stop on it’s own, but you have to tell yourself that you only want the energy that is in the light, not beyond it or your hand will overflow. Got it?”

She nodded, “I think so. Should I try?”

“When you feel you’re ready, go for it. Just keep your eyes on your cupped palm and your mind focused on what you’re doing.”

“Okay.”

I sat silently patient as she began concentrating on pulling the electricity to her. After about a minute, the light began to dim and a small blue ball appeared in her hand. She got a little excited at seeing it and there was a sudden influx of energy, but I reminded her to slow down and the growth slowed down substantially. When it was the size of a baseball, she stopped pulling and held it in her hand.

She grinned at me and I grinned back, “Good. How did it feel while you were pulling it to you?”

“There was an initial feeling of resistance, like it didn’t want to come to me, but when it did, it was just like a small stream of water. When I got excited, the stream widened and I had to force my mind to stem the flow.”

“How’d you know when to stop?”

“When it felt like a trickle.”

“Good. Now with this little ball of electricity, you can do just about anything you want with it within reason. You can push it into something that needs the electricity that you want to work. You can place it inside a hollow object and use it as a shock grenade or bomb. Throw it at a target and short them out or electrocute. You can even play with it. Roll it between your fingers, toss it from hand to hand. You get the idea. Now, I want you to reverse what you did and put it back into the light.”

“Wait, I can do that too?”

“Yes. This time, you’re feeding it the energy. Imagine there’s the hole you pulled it from and it’s still open. You’re going to push it through that hole, like you’re feeding string into it to fill the space. Move slow so you don’t create a surge.”

I watched her closely as she pushed the energy away from her and back into the light. The lighting grew brighter the more energy she fed it until there was nothing left in her palm.

“Good, now grasp your hands together.”

She looked at me funny, but did it and asked, “Why?”

I smiled, “If there was any residual energy left in your palm, you equally discharged it over the rest of your body, so you won’t shock anyone or something. How do you feel?”

“Like I did nothing more than think. There was no exertion and I don’t feel like I used any energy at all.”

“Which is what’s supposed to happen. You pulled the power to yourself, held it, and then released it back. If you were low on your power, it would have refilled your power well.”

“And I can do this with any electrical power source?”

“Yes. Even people.”

“People?”

“Systems in our bodies create electrical currents, like our brain. If you have no qualms about killing someone, you can pull it from them.”

“When I shocked you, I overloaded the electrical current that your heart produces and caused it to stop?”

“And how you got my heart to start beating again. Like jumper cables for a car battery. If you wanted to use a human as a power source, it’s a good idea to know exactly how much electricity a body can harness naturally and how much current each system produces,” I said soberly. “The plus side of learning about the heart and brain is that you, personally, can use your power to restart both again. So, in that respect you save a life instead of taking one.”

“I’m not a destructive force?”

“You are both, you can take and give. That’s the beauty of some of our powers. Like air mages, they can suck the air out of your lungs or they can push air into the lungs.”

“So, my intention is what controls the lightning.”

“Yes. Admittedly, all powers can be either destructive or constructive. Like how we were able to restore the compound or build crop fields. We can destroy buildings or crops as well. It’s the will or intention driving the power that decides what it does.”

“Like how you use your telepathy to help people, while the spy used hers to hurt.”

“Exactly,” I said smiling sadly. “There’s always a duality to everything.”

“That’s heavy,” she said cracking a smile.

“It’s why it’s important to practice your control and to strengthen your mind.”

“I understand,” she said thinking. “Can you show me how to build a ward?”

I nodded, “Sure. Let’s head into the bedroom. I’ll show you how to ward the closet.”

“The closet?”

“Well, the front door is already warded and I definitely don’t want you to ward the bathroom,” I said laughing and standing. Holding out a hand, I said, “Let’s go.”

She grabbed it and I pulled her up and took her to the bedroom. I opened the closet door and took a couple steps back from it.

“It’s actually really easy,” I said as she stood next to me. “What you’re doing is picturing a wall the length of the closet, or even the shape of the closet, and where the door is, you’re placing another door. What’s your favorite color?”

“Blue,” she replied automatically.

“Can you guess what mine is,” I said with a smile.

“Black,” she hazarded.

“No, but it would make sense because of my name, the color of my wolf, my hair and my eyes. My favorite color is maroon. Look at my clothing next time, you’ll see it somewhere on them. Anyway, the reason why I asked is because I want you to visualize the wall you’re about to build in that color. Easy to remember.”

“Okay.”

“You’ve got the image of it in your mind?”

“Yes.”

“Now, with your power behind it, imagine the wall being built over the length of the closet. From the ground up to the top of the closet. Now, I can’t see it and that’s the point. When you’re done, build a door in it. One that only opens to certain people.”

“Done.”

I walked over to the closet and placed my hand on where I thought the wall would be and felt the slight push away.

“Good. Now make it strong. I want to feel the push more.”

I felt the push more and more.

“Okay, stop there. Now come up and hover your hand over where you’ve placed the door.”

She did and I nodded, “Tell yourself that you only want to allow yourself into the closet and feed your power behind the thought. When you feel that the ward understands your intention, say the key phrase.”

I took my hand away and watched her. I felt it click and then said, “To make it permanent, send a chain into the ground from it and imagine an eyebolt or something of that nature to anchor it into the earth. Then that’s it.”

She looked at me, “That’s it? That’s all it takes?”

“Yes. Why don’t you walk in?”

“Alright,” she said and did.

“You did tell it that you only wanted to allow yourself in, right?”

“Right.”

“Now, watch this.”

I walked up to the closet and tried to walk into it, I couldn’t.

“How do I know you’re not just faking it to make me feel better?”

I grinned at her and stepped further back and ran at it. When I hit the ward, I fell backwards and landed on my ass.

She laughed and helped me up.

“Okay, so it keeps you out. To keep myself out, I just lock it like the compound?”

“Yes. Give it a whirl.”

She did and found that she couldn’t walk in. She shook her head from the impact and looked at me, “So, how do I remove it?”

“As with most things, you reverse the process. Unanchor the the wall, close the door and deconstruct it by pulling the power you used to create it back into yourself.”

She did that and I could easily walk into it.

“And voila, you know how to create a ward,” I said with a smile. “Everything else just requires practice, practice, and more practice.”

She came up to me, gave me a hug and asked, “Is there anything else you can show me?”

I grinned at her as I stepped back and replied, “There is one more small thing I can show you. But it’s pretty special and I’m not sure that you’re ready for it.”

“Oh, come on,” she pleaded with a smile. “Don’t hold out on me like that. What is it?”

I pretended to really think about it and then I grinned slowly, “If you really want to, I guess I can show you.”

“I really want to learn it,” she said excitedly.

I sighed and said, “Alright, hold out your arms.”

She did, giggling, “Okay, now what?”

“Picture that you’re wearing your power like a glove just underneath your skin of your dominant hand. I don’t want to see it. Also keep the power level real low, just above barely noticeable.”

“Okay,” she said and looked at me expectantly.

Facing her, I pushed up her shirt sleeve of her non-dominant arm and laid mine gently over hers. With my other arm, I held it under her other arm.

“Okay, now this is the hard part,” I said looking her in the eyes. “Without looking down at your hand, I want you to trace just random lines on my arm with only your fingers. Don’t jab down hard or hover. There has to be physical contact.”

She nodded and looking me in the eyes, she slowly touched me and glided her fingers over my arm. We both gasped at the same time and I swallowed thickly at the sensual feel that her power was giving me. Her mouth parted and her eyes became slightly heavy lidded as she continued to look at me.

“Do you feel it,” I asked softly.

She swallowed and answered, “Yes. I can feel what I’m doing with your arm on my arm. How is that possible?”

“It’s a mirror effect. When you and I touched, we created a complete circuit. As long as there is skin to skin contact, wherever I place my hand, you will feel it there.”

“Show me,” she said, her voice slightly husky from the sensation.

I removed my arm from hers and slid under her shirt and laid it on her side. I felt her body shiver at the sensation and her muscles contract as she gasped again.

“God, that feels oh, so good,” she said closing her eyes.

“This is one of the most intimate acts you can do with a partner,” I said as my voice coated with desire. “If I could use my fire power, I could return the favor.”

“Mm-hm,” she said as she stop tracing my arm and brought her hand to cup my head, making me moan and shudder in pleasure.

She pulled me close and brought me into a passionate kiss. 

“Let go of your power,” I whispered against her mouth, “You don’t want to drain yourself.”

I felt it leave and kissed her again. I picked her up and laid her gently down on the bed. I looked down briefly before I laid down beside her and taught her how to make her body sing.


	31. Clarke

I woke up the next day still feeling the effects of last night as I moaned in pleasure, stretching.

Nyx chuckled beside me and asked sleepily, “Would you like me to make you something to eat before you leave?”

I smiled and leaned down to kiss her languidly, “No, love. I’ll eat something at the compound afterwards. Go back to sleep.”

“Mm-kay,” she replied and snuggled deeper under the covers.

I kissed her head before I got out of bed on shaky feet. I shook my head in amusement and went to take a shower. I got dressed quietly and making sure I had the communicator secured to my side, I went into the kitchen and made myself a cup of coffee. With one last glance at the bedroom, I left and walked up to the surface.

When I reached the surface, I paused briefly and inhaled deeply the crisp autumn air. Nyx had been right, I’d been down there too long. I saw the transport truck waiting by the jail and walked towards it. There were already people milling around it as I neared. I inhaled sharply as my body reacted to seeing Dani standing there speaking with Octavia and Sephy, but I continued forward anyway. At the sound of my footsteps, all three of them turned and watched me approach. 

Sephy looked at me worriedly, and asked, “Are you sure it’s a good idea to leave her alone so soon?”

“I’m not to keen on it,” I replied shaking my head, “but she insisted that I come here to see them off.”

Octavia hugged me and replied, “Well, I’m glad to see you, Clarke. It hasn’t been the same these last couple of days.”

“I’ve felt the same way,” I said and said to Sephy, “I’ve got my communicator on me, if she’s feeling to uncomfortable, she’ll give me a call.”

Sephy nodded and hugged me, “Okay. I’m glad to see you, too.”

“It’s good to see all of you and I hadn’t realized that I was feeling closed off until I came up here.”

“Aw, you missed me,” Dani teased as she gave me a hug, too and I swore she inhaled a little too deeply. “It’s good to see you. Too many somber faces lately.”

I made a face at her and replied, “Somber seems to be the overall mood. So, what’s going on?”

I could tell that Dani wanted to keep an arm wrapped around me, but let me go and took a step back as she replied, “Jackson, Raven, and your mother are injecting them with the implants now and making sure they’re all up in running. They should be up here soon.”

“Kane?”

“Indra is training him this morning,” Octavia replied. “She’s been training him one on one since he’s quite a bit older than the rest of us.”

I smiled, “That’s good. It’d be funny to watch him try and keep up with the young ones.”

“It was. As much as shifting feels natural and our powers come easily, he just can’t keep up physically since his body is still regaining it’s muscles after laying in the hospital bed for so long.”

“That has to suck,” I replied thinking. “This means that those who become werewolves will have to go through some heavy physical therapy to rebuild their bodies up.”

Octavia nodded, “Speaking of those particular individuals. It’s been almost three weeks since they’ve received the cure. The majority of them are moving about and doing real well. They’re ready to get back to the surface and join in preparing for the winter.”

“That’s real good,” I said. “Has anybody told them why they’re still in the ward?”

“Jackson and Abby have,” Sephy said. “They’ve explained that it takes the cure a full month to remove the toxin and that there are side effects that have to monitored until they can be released.”

“Have they been told the side effects?”

“That I don’t know. You’ll have to ask them.”

“Then I will after this is over.”

“And speak of devil and he shall appear,” Dani said looking past us and towards the jail.

We turned to watch as the six people we were sending to Old Towne were escorted by guards walked over to us. I watched as they each seemed to carry some level of fear on their faces, except from Jaha. He was angry and still defiant. His body language spoke volumes. Jackson, Raven and Mom followed them. Raven’s pace quickened when she spotted me and hugged me immediately as they got to us.

“Oh, I’ve missed you, Clarke,” she said as she stepped away.

“I’ve missed you, too,” I replied as I hugged Jackson and my mom.

Mom’s return hug was a little unsure, but it was still a hug.

“So, is everything set up,” I asked them.

“They’re ready to go,” Mom replied. “Is this really necessary?”

“Yes,” Jaha said. “Why are you killing us? We’ve done nothing but voice our dissent as is our right.”

“We’re not killing you, Jaha,” I said authoritatively. “We’re sending the six of you to Old Towne. Those implants you’ve been injected with are so that we can monitor you and allow the rest of the humans a chance to see what the world is like outside this camp and outside the border.”

“From what you’ve told me, that is the equivalent of sending us to our deaths.”

I shrugged, “What will happen, will happen, Jaha. I’m allowing you to witness exactly why it’s imperative for all of you to work with us. You need to understand that this world is no longer the world we left. You’ll still be allowed to return if you can make your way back to the border.”

“As if I really believe that we’ll be allowed to return,” he scoffed. “This is how you’re planning on removing us from the border. Your own version of thinning the crowd, a culling.”

“This isn’t a culling, Jaha,” I said as my eyes narrowed at him. “The reason for the brands you received is so that the border guards can identify you and bring you back here. We have no interest in killing you or your people. I suggest you learn that and learn it quickly. We cannot move on until your people understand that.”

“I think that’s quite enough,” Dani said, her voice tinged with anger. “Guards, load them up. Your packs are already inside. Once you’re in Old Towne, your shackles will be removed and you will leave the transport. What happens afterwards, is up to you.”

We watched silently as they slowly got into the transport, Jaha was last.

He turned to look at me and said deadly serious, “You’ll regret this, Clarke. This is a mistake that will cost you dearly.”

“It’s already cost us lives, Jaha,” I replied coldly. “And it’s all because you all refused to listen to us. Make no mistake, this is for your own good. Godspeed and good luck.”

With those parting words, the guards locked down the transport and they left.

When the truck was out of our view, Mom turned to me and asked, “Have you eaten yet, Clarke?”

I shook my head, “No, Nyx offered to make me breakfast but I wanted her to sleep some more.”

“Care to join me at the compound for breakfast?”

“Sure,” I answered and joined them as they made their way to the compound.

“How is Nyx,” she asked.

“She’s doing okay for the moment,” I replied. “She believes that her reaction to Lincoln shouldn’t have been so severe. From her standpoint, what he told her was no worse than the photos of what she was shown after the incident.”

“She’s right, Clarke,” Dani said. “I’ve seen the photos, what he described was mild compared to them.”

“Okay, at least that part is true,” I said thinking. “She also told me that her physical reaction at hearing and seeing him were way out of character as well.”

“What do you mean?”

“She said that she was completely afraid of him. Frozen. Couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, or think. All from just seeing him. She said that she’s so powerful that she doesn’t even feel an ounce of submission towards Lexa.”

“Again, she’s right,” Dani said carefully. “If alphas were real, she would be the Alpha among alphas. As far as we know, there is no one more powerful than she is. She has a healthy amount of fear for the Coalition, but it’s because of what they can do, not because they’re supposedly the strongest of our kinds.”

“What you’re saying,” Abby said, “is that the mental break and subsequent regression should have never happened?”

“Unless, her psyche is more damaged then even she thought, no, it shouldn’t have.”

“Let’s say that she was as stable as she was ever going to get after the initial trauma, what could have caused the snap?”

“Mind manipulation,” Indra said as she came up on us. “She had me look up some information in regards to what happened prior to the incident.”

“What happened prior to it,” I asked.

“All the survivors had arrived to the Northern Border the day of the incident. They had come from the Western Border after helping with a flooding situation there. I showed the pictures of the female spy and some of them had a vague recollection of seeing her on the Western Border.”

“How does this help Nyx,” Dani asked.

“Not much,” Indra admitted. “We know that this woman, Echo, sought to transfer into our territory around the same time and she would have been at the border awaiting approval.”

“Then it’s inconclusive,” Sephy said.

“Yes, but she also wanted someone to compare their injuries to the ones she inflicted on her men. Scarlett was kind enough to do that part.”

“What did she find?”

“Some of their injuries were sustained by her, but the majority of them were not. They actually attacked one another.”

“Why would they do that,” mom asked.

“To keep Nyx away from them. If they’ve been injured and lay among the dead, she would have walked right past them and never given them a second glance.”

“Or, if they were manipulated like Nyx suggests, they could have done it to themselves to avoid suspicion from your investigators,” I said thinking.

“Either way, it’s hard to prove,” Indra said. “There’s no way to find out if a manipulation or compulsion was placed on them. Nothing would show up on a brain scan.”

“And there’s no way that we can bring them to Nyx just to see if they did something or affected her.”

“Correct. The only way we could, is if we got a full confession from the spy, but she’s in the wind. No one has seen her in 8 years.”

“At least, I can tell her that some of them do recall seeing her and that some of their injuries weren’t done by her.”

“That might be a bad idea, Clarke,” Mom said. “It could make her obsess over this even more, if she’s not already.”

“I’d think it would be worse to keep this from her, Mom,” I countered. “If she finds out from another source and then finds out that I already knew, that could lead her to believe that I didn’t think she could handle the truth. Creating a cycle of distrust between us. And right now, she needs to trust me.”

Mom sighed, “As her physician, it’s my recommendation that she not be told, her psyche is still vulnerable.”

“Duly noted, Mother,” I told her.

She gave me a look, but I stared her down and waited for her to add any more comments. She didn’t and I let it drop. By this time, we were all in the kitchen and Dani was cooking up something that smelled delicious. I got up from my chair and made myself a cup of coffee. 

“What do you think, Dani,” I asked her as I leaned against the counter and watched her cook.

“As to whether or not she’ll obsess over this bit of news,” she asked for clarification and looked at me.

I nodded and she sighed.

“Nyx has a sharp mind,” she replied. “One of the best advantages of working with her is that she can look at a plan and view it from every angle and pinpoint vulnerabilities and ways to counteract possible obstacles. Then, she can take that plan and say if it failed this way, we can then do this to keep on task.”

“Contingencies upon contingencies.”

She nodded, smiling, “Exactly. In a way, it is obsessive. But because she thinks like that, she succeeds. I think that’s why she was doing so well outside the territory. Now, to point something out, she was able to look at her reaction to Lincoln and compare it to her behavior and character in an objective manner. Things didn’t jive to her, so she sought out advice from Indra. When she hears this news, she will know that there’s no way to actively prove her theory. She’ll know that she can’t risk exposing herself to the other survivors, since the possible outcome would be her death if it really is a telepathic manipulation. The reasons that we stated as to why the injuries of the survivors did not match with the dead, would be the same ones she’d come up with.”

“But would she obsess over trying to prove that her theory is either correct or incorrect?”

“No, I don’t think so. She’ll know it’s a long shot to go searching for the answers, but she’ll keep an eye out for possible connections if they should appear.”

“Then I should tell her?”

“If you’re asking what to do,” she said and turned to face me, “I can’t tell you what to do. Clarke, I’m not your mind nor your conscience. The decision is up to you. Just go with what you feel is right and hope that it was the right thing to do.”

I sighed, “You’re right. But thank you for letting me know what you think.”

She nodded and smiled, “Sure. We’re all worried about her, Clarke. She’s not ready to let the rest of us in yet, so all she has is you. Treat her with respect, honesty, and love and things will work out the way they’re supposed to. Trust me.”

“Thanks,” I said and went to sit back down at the breakfast table.

Soon, Dani was finished and we were all eating her delicious omelettes. They were so good that I surprised myself by eating three of them. As they finished, they went on their ways to do what they had to do that day, leaving me with Mom.

“Clarke,” she said as I finished eating. “Can we talk?”

I looked at her and said, “Sure. What do you want to talk about?”

“I want to apologize for what I did the other day. I should have trusted you,” she said looking at the cup in her hands.

“Yes, Mom, you should have,” I replied. “I’m not little anymore. Which means that I don’t need you to hold my hand constantly. Mom, I love you and I will always need you, but you hurt me.”

“I realize that and I’m sorry. It’s just the attack and then the nightmare…it was like you were that little girl again. I was so scared that she was going to kill you.”

“I was too, but I had to try. I have enough confidence in my powers and in Raven’s inhibitor disc, that I knew that I would be okay if she suddenly attacked me,” I said taking her hand in mine. “You didn’t see how she reacted when she saw me. Mom, she backed away from me, putting as much space as she could between the two of us. And the sadness on her face was heartbreaking. She remembered what she’d done and she felt so guilty about it. I got her to think about how the ones who loved her were feeling about the possibility of losing her. It guilted her enough that she started talking and then shifted. I didn’t coddle her. I didn’t bribe her. I just told her the truth. About how they felt. About how I felt.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that she is still vulnerable and anything can set her off again.”

“I realize that, Mom. That’s why we spend a lot of time talking through everything and being truthful with one another. She has to relearn how to live with the guilt and the pain of everything’s that happened. We both know that it’ll be a long recovery and there’s going to be a lot of bad days mixed in with the good. We’re not naïve to think it’s going be easy. She needs me as much as I need her. If having me there helps her, then that’s what I’m going to do.”

“So you’ve made up your mind and you’re fully committed to helping her.”

“Yes, for better or for worse. I’m going to be there for her,” I said as I got up from the table. “And in that regard, I really should be heading back.”

“Of course,” she replied. “Here, I’ll take care of the dishes and you head back.”

“Thank you,” I said. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep everybody informed and the guards are still outside our quarters.”

“Just don’t shut me out, Clarke.”

“I won’t. I love you, Mom,” I said and gave her a hug bye.

She nodded and I left the kitchen and walked briskly through the house. I was suddenly pulled into an alcove and screamed. A hand quickly covered my mouth and found out that it was Dani who had pulled me in it.

She lifted her hand gently from my mouth and I glared up at her and said, “What the hell, Dani? You just can’t grab people like that.”

She blushed and said, “I know. I’m sorry. I just…I just wanted to have a private moment with you.”

“Why?”

She looked very unsure of herself and was blushing furiously which made me very confused.

I laid a hand gently on her arm and she flinched at the touch, “Dani, what is it? You can tell me?”

“It’s, um, it’s not that simple,” she stuttered out.

“What’s not that simple?”

“Heh, ahem, um, you see…I, um, well, god,” she said growing very flustered and blushing even redder.

I smiled gently at her and said, “Breathe, Dani. Just breathe, okay?”

She nodded and took a few deep breaths, but when she tried to talk again, she could only open and shut her mouth.

She shook her head and was going to try again, but then she just said, “To hell with it,” and crushed me to her and kissed me deeply, hungrily, and passionately.

I was so surprised that I could only stand there as she kissed me and then I felt something uncurl and I was kissing her back with just as much passion. When we broke apart, we were left gasping and I looked at her very confused and very surprised.

She looked exactly like I felt and then she mumbled, “Sorry,” and took off running, leaving me in the alcove trying to catch my breath and figure out what had just happened.

I leaned back against the wall and closed my eyes. I took some steadying breaths to calm myself down as I raised my fingers to my lips. I knew that she liked me and said that she felt a pull similar to Nyx’s, but I had never imagined that she would have just straight up and kiss me like that. Or that I’d return it with an equal amount of passion. This was so very confusing for me and I had no idea what to do about it. I loved Nyx. Loved her with every fiber of my soul, but Dani? Dani was supposed to be the constant flirt, the one that probably had more one night stands than Nyx. So, why was I attracted to her in such a way that I would kiss her back like that. I even felt like I wanted her and that I didn’t want the kiss to end. There was a small part of me during that kiss to take it even further. 

What the hell was wrong with me? I loved Nyx. Wanted to be with Nyx. I felt that to the core of my very being. So, why would I kiss Dani passionately and want more than just the kiss. It made no sense. Absolutely none. Oh, this was just so very confusing and I needed to talk to Nyx about this. No way was I going to hide this from her. I couldn’t. I just hope she didn’t want to hurt either one of us or be hurt by what happened, but how could she not. I just cheated on her, didn’t I? Ah, hell. I just needed to tell her the truth.

I shook my head and pushed myself away from the wall. I walked slowly back to our room trying to figure out what I was going to tell her. I stopped in front of the door and took a deep and steady breath and unlocked the door. I walked inside and saw Nyx sitting in front of the computer watching something. When she saw me, she smiled and got up to hug me. I was a little hesitant in returning the hug and she noticed straight away and stepped back to look at me, her smile fading.

“Clarke,” she asked worriedly, “Is everything okay?”

“Dani kissed me and I kissed her back. I liked it, I think,” I blurted out and cringed.

“The two of you kissed and you think you liked it,” she asked confused.

“Uh-huh, please don’t hate me,” I said and peaked at her face.

Her face was unreadable and I thought that shit was about to hit the fan, but she just took my hand and gently led me to the couch and we sat down.

“Dani kissed you and you kissed her back?”

“Yes,” I said ashamed. “I, I don’t know what came over me. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“ _Niron_ ,” she said and tilted my head so that I would look at her. “I’m not hurt. I’m surprised and knowing Dani, she probably just grabbed you and then kissed you.”

“How can you not be hurt? I kissed another woman,” I exclaimed, taken back by her reaction.

“It was just a kiss, sweetheart,” she said gently. “Let me explain something, before Lexa and I claimed one another, we still slept with other women even though you could say we were in a committed relationship. The nymphomania, as Octavia calls it, isn’t something that we can control. Most of the times, it was because someone else needed that urge met and we would help ease it. Monogamy isn’t something we necessarily confine ourselves to. Even my parents slept with other pack members after their claiming.”

“But I’m not a werewolf,” I said, still very confused.

“And you didn’t grow up in a sexual dynamic like this,” she said as she traced a finger around the edge of my face, making me close my eyes at the feeling.

“The way your pack is so open about sex is incomprehensible. I still don’t know why I want her, too.”

“Dani is a sexually attractive woman, even to non-werewolves,” she said, thinking, “Besides that, it’s perfectly natural for everyone to be attracted to other people. In normal society, they may fantasize about sleeping with that person, but rarely act on it. We don’t have that inhibition. Honey, it’s up to you if you want to sleep with her and act on it. I may be a little hurt, answering truthfully, just because you and I have been rather exclusive since I’ve been here. I’m not going to hate you for it. Or throw you out. Nothing like that. I’d probably suggest a threesome,”

“Seriously,” I said surprised. “A threesome?”

She shrugged and grinned, “Or a foursome or even a fivesome. I like having multiple partners at once. I know it sounds bad, it’s just what I like, but don’t worry, I wouldn’t force anything like that on you if you don’t want it.”

“God, you’re horrible,” I said, shaking my head. “And thank you for being considerate of my feelings. There is so much I don’t know about your pack and every time you tell me something new, it’s like mind boggling.”

She chuckled, “It usually is to outsiders. We are what we are and we’re quite comfortable with ourselves. It’s why there’s usually no hint of jealousy or feeling cheated on.”

“This is so weird,” I said leaning against the couch.

“Wanna watch how the six are doing? I figured out how to put it on the wall. All six views,” she asked.

“Yes, please. Anything to take my mind off this conversation,” I answered relieved to have something else to do.

She smiled and leaned in to kiss me, “Then it shall be so.”

Getting up, she walked over to the computer and soon enough all six cameras were on the wall. They were still in the transport and talking amongst themselves.

“They’ve forgotten already that we can hear everything they’re saying plus the fact that we have sharper hearing,” Nyx said as she pulled me to her and I snuggled into her arms.

“Have they said anything interesting,” I asked curiously.

“They’ve been talking about hijacking the truck and heading to the Coalition headquarters, but they have no idea where to go. And if they asked, they wouldn’t get an answer.”

“God, they are in for a world of hurt,” I said worriedly. “How much longer before they reach Old Towne?”

“They should just be at the outskirts of town.”

We watched in silence as they bounced along and continued to plan, making us laugh at their idiocy. Of course, it was Jaha pushing everyone to the plan. It took them a good forty minutes to reach the center of town. We watched in anticipation for them to make their move and when they did, it was hilarious to watch. They had barely made a step before the guards were on them and they forcibly threw them out of the truck and immediately took off before the last one had hit the ground. They immediately huddled together to come up with a new plan.

“What do we do now, Jaha,” one them asked, Matt was his name.

“Yeah,” another one said, Chris.

“We should find some place to stay for the night,” Jaha said, confidently.

They nodded and looked around to figure out a direction to go in.

“They said we’d be in the downtown area, right,” Matt asked.

“Yes, if we’re downtown, there should be a hotel or motel nearby,” Jaha replied. “Let’s try this direction, gentlemen.”

They headed off and constantly looked around them as they moved. I could make out other people walking down the streets going about their business. There weren’t a lot of people walking the streets this time of day, I guessed that they were probably at work.

From the other guys’ point of view, Jaha walked confidently and would only glance around every once in awhile. It was a little disorientating watching five views swivel all over the place as they took everything in.

“Man, look at all these buildings,” one of them said. “It looks like bombs went off everywhere.”

“It’s from the blasts and shockwaves of the nuclear bombs mostly,” another one answered. “I’m surprised there’s anything left standing. From what I heard, the East Coast was hit pretty hard.”

“If this is a small city, where are all the people at,” Chris asked.

“Probably at work,” another answered. “They still have to put food on the table and have a place to live. They have to have a way to pay for everything.”

I saw people approaching them and focused on Jaha’s view. When they neared, I could see the look of surprise on their faces and then it was replaced by derision.

“Excuse me, sir,” Jaha said as the closest of them neared for easy speaking, but he was ignored.

He tried again with the next one and got the same reaction.

The third try resulted in Jaha getting shoved to the ground and a growl.

Dirty human was heard among the men. Matt helped Jaha up as some of them turned back and watched the man who had shoved Jaha. The man turned his head and his hands flashed fire before it disappeared.

“Were,” Nyx whispered in my ear and I nodded.

Jaha brushed himself off and they took off again. This time, when Jaha saw someone approach, he didn’t bother to speak. Some of the people glared at them and flashed their powers, like they were flexing.

“I’m surprised no on has called the Garrison on them,” Nyx said.

“Why would they,” I asked. “They’re just walking.”

“There are six humans, tightly grouped,” she answered. “It’s rare to see that many humans together. The most you’d see is a group of three, but usually it’s one or two of them. And they’re someone’s slaves.”

I nodded. They had reached a big intersection and Jaha scanned in every direction. He finally spotted a motel sign to their left and they crossed the street. It looked seedy, much like the one we had initially stayed at. Seedy was probably their best chance of finding a place to stay.

As they made their way, storefronts began to be seen. At the entrances, there were signs saying ‘no humans allowed unless with an Apex/owner,’ ‘no humans allowed,’ or ‘humans go to the service entrance.’ When Jaha approached the door to the motel, I saw a sign for ‘no humans allowed,’ but Jaha ignored it and went through. The men followed, but huddled closer together. Nyx leaned forward slightly and I knew something was about to go down.

The clerk looked up and watched as they approached.

“No humans allowed,” the clerk said. “Be best if you turned around and left.”

“Sir, we’re not here to cause any trouble,” Jaha said trying to sound non threatening. “We’re just looking for a place to stay the night.”

“What don’t you understand about ‘no humans allowed,’ human?”

“We have money. We can pay.”

“Like I’d take money from a filthy human.”

“Now, see here sir,” Jaha said, his voice changing to one of authority. “There is no reason to speak to me in that manner when we are willing to pay for a room.”

“No, you see here, human,” the clerk said standing up. “No humans means no humans. Now get out of here before I make you.”

“I will do no such thing. I want to speak with your manager.”

He barked a laugh, “I am the manager, human. Anton!”

I huge barrel of a man came out of the back of the office and said, “You called, boss?”

“Yeah. Show these humans what we think of them.”

Anton grinned maliciously and walked around the corner. Everyone except Jaha backed away. As he walked, he shifted into a huge bear. A couple of them bolted and ran from the door. They made it outside and across the street. When Anton was close enough, he swatted Jaha and he slammed into a wall. Before anyone else could react, they all got the same treatment. It went dark and the only view of the motel came from the two that had escaped. Suddenly, bodies started flying out the door and land in the middle of the street with thuds. I could here the thuds come from them, which told me they were still alive.

As the bodies landed, the two rushed into the middle of the street and started carrying them across to the side they had been on. When the four were safely laid out, the two started to check their pulses. When one of them checked for a pulse from a guy named Freddie, there was a shake of the camera.

“Freddie’s dead.”

The other guy looked at him and asked, “Are you sure, Mike?”

“Yeah,” Mike answered. “No pulse and there’s blood pooling out from the back of his head.”

“We need to wake these guys up and get the hell out of here.”

They did the only thing they could think of, they started slapping them across the face until the men started to respond with moans and groans. They helped them to stand and they stood there, each holding the back of their heads or necks.

One of them looked down and saw Freddie laying on the ground and looked at Mike, “Freddie?”

“I’m sorry, Chris. He’s gone. I know the two of you were tight,” Mike said sympathetically.

Chris went over to Freddie’s body and closed his eyes for a moment. Jaha approached him and laid a hand on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry for your loss, Chris,” he said.

“He shouldn’t be dead,” Chris said angrily. “I’m going to get that bastard.”

Chris stood up and took a step towards the motel, but Jaha stopped him.

“Don’t. The man shifted into a bear, Chris. You have no way to defend yourself. You’d be killing yourself. Don’t let the people back home see that happen.”

“But Freddie,” Chris said weeping.

“I understand. We all mourn for him, but we’ve got to get moving.”

“What do we do with Freddie’s body,” Matt asked.

Jaha looked around and spotted an alley.

“There,” he pointed. “We’ll put his body there.”

“In an alley,” Chris said incredulously. “We’re just going to leave his body to the rats.”

“We have no choice, son,” Jaha said apologetically. “We have no tools to bury him nor can we carry him until we find a place to do that. I’m sorry.”

Chris nodded sadly and Matt joined him as they picked him up and carried him to the alley. They laid him down halfway and searched him for the money he had been given. Someone had already grabbed his pack. They stood around him and said a brief prayer and then made there way back onto the street. 

“Should we try another motel,” Mike asked.

Someone shook his head, “Nah, man. We shouldn’t risk it.”

“Nonsense,” Jaha said. “Just because one establishment decided to act in this abysmal way does not mean they all will.”

They walked until they came across a hotel. They cautiously approached and there were signs of relief as they saw a sign that read for humans to go to the service entrance. Jaha was about to ignore the sign again.

“Jaha,” Matt said, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. The sign says to go around back.”

“I will not be treated like a second rate citizen,” he replied forcefully.

“You know what, I think I’ll stay out here and wait for you.”

The other men agreed and Jaha looked at them sternly, but when none moved to follow, he entered the door alone. He only made it five feet before he was stopped.

“I don’t think so,” the man said. “Humans go through the back.”

“Sir, I am only here to inquire about a room.”

The man didn’t answer, just grabbed Jaha by the collar and forcibly shoved him out of the door. The man looked at each of them and pointed to the sign before he went back inside. After Jaha gained his composure, he led the group around back and found the service entrance.

They opened the door and filed inside where they encountered a rather clean interior and a clerk. The clerk looked up at the sound of the door and stepped back at seeing them and then stepped back up to the counter.

He glared at them as they approached and waited.

“Our pardon, sir,” Jaha said diplomatically. “We are new to the area and we would like to inquire if there are any rooms available.”

The clerk laughed, “There ain’t no rooms for humans. Only beds. Just so happens we have exactly five beds that are free.”

“How much for the beds, then?”

The man’s eyes glanced at them and said, “600.”

They looked at one another and started pulling their money out to count.

“How much money were they given,” Nyx asked.

“I think a 100 a piece,” I answered.

“They’ll have just enough then.”

They finished counting and handed it all to Jaha. He presented the money to the clerk, who then proceeded to examine each bill to make sure it wasn’t fake.

“Alright, then,” the clerk said. “Sign this log with each of your names then head down the hallway and take a right at the first intersection. No meals, so you’ll have to figure out how to feed yourselves. Communal bathroom is at the end of the room. Enjoy your stay.”

Everybody filled out the log and followed Jaha to the room indicated. It was nothing but a long room filled with bunks. There were people scattered about who looked way worse then our group did. They found five beds near each other and laid their packs on them.

“That was all of our money, Jaha,” Chris said. “What are we going to do now? We won’t be able to spend another night here.”

“That’s alright, Chris,” Jaha said placating him. “We’ll figure something out. Let’s just eat some of our food and rest.”

They dug into their food and sat around eating quietly as they looked at the other people in the room. Some of them looked at their food hungrily and watched them intently.

“These guys look like shit,” Mike said quietly. “What the hell did we get thrown into?”

“You think all of them will look like that,” Matt asked.

“I’m sure they’re just homeless,” Jaha answered congenially. “Ignore them.”

Nyx muted the sound and said, “I don’t think anything else will happen today.”

“Damn,” I said. “Freddie’s gone. His parents will be devastated once they find out.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Thanks, but I think I’m okay,” I said, thinking. “I mean it’s bad, but I didn’t really know him.”

“I wasn’t expecting a death so soon.”

“I don’t think anyone was. I wonder how they took it.” 

“Probably horrified.”

“Do you think they’ll do anything.”

She shook her head, “No. They’re probably glued to the screens watching to see if anything else happens.”

“Well, that killed a few hours,” I said stretching. 

She chuckled, “It did. Are you hungry for lunch?”

“Mmm, yes please.”

“Alright then,” she said and hugged me tightly before she got up and stretched. “Sandwiches good?”

“Yep.”

She went into the kitchen to make lunch and I headed over to the computer and checked in with Jackson to see how the patients were doing. They were doing well and had been told that there were possible side effects. They were also informed that they had another week of recovery before they could be formally found cured of the toxin. We chatted for a bit until Nyx was done with the sandwiches.

“Nyx,” I said after carefully judging her mood, “I spoke with Indra this morning.”

She looked up at me and said, “Oh. Anything interesting?”

“She made the inquiries you asked for.”

“Did she find anything,” she asked, perking up a bit.

I nodded, “She did. She showed the photo of the woman and some of them recall vaguely of having seen her around the time that they were at the border. It’s possible it was just a coincidence that they were there at the same time, since it was around the same time that she was applying for admittance into the territory.”

“Makes sense.”

“Then she had Scarlett compare their injuries to those in the photos. Some of their injuries came from you, but the majority of them weren’t. The theory is that they did it to each other.”

“Which could mean that they were telepathically manipulated, but most likely they did it so that I wouldn’t notice they were still alive.”

“I’m sorry it’s not the news you were hoping for,” I said and squeezed her hand.

She smiled wanly at me, “It’s alright. At least I know that I was partially right in regards to them. They did see her and that their injuries weren’t from me.”

“Does that help you any?”

“It does. It’s a bit of a relief knowing that I didn’t cause them physical pain.”

“You’re not going to go overthinking about this, are you?”

“No. If they were manipulated into having compulsions, it’s impossible to tell by a brain scan or by an average telepath. I’m not strong enough with the inhibitor to go sniffing about their brains to go looking. It’s a bit of verification for me.”

“Dani told me that she agrees that your reactions were very uncharacteristic for you.”

She nodded, “That’s what I hoped. Sometimes I can inflate my own abilities to appear bigger and whatnot then I actually have.”

“And you’re sure you’re okay with this?”

She smiled and leaned over the table to give me a quick kiss, “I am. I’m not going to lose any sleep over this news.”

“Good,” I said and we finished the meal.

We checked to see how our group was doing, but they weren’t doing anything so, we found another way to pass the afternoon away


	32. Clarke

That night was the first time I experienced Nyx having a nightmare. She woke up screaming in the middle of the night and it took hours to calm her down enough to let her get some more sleep. We were both exhausted by morning and she kept apologizing to me.

“Nyx, you don’t have to keep apologizing,” I said around a yawn as she made breakfast. “We knew this was going to happen eventually.”

“I know, but I feel bad about it,” she said looking at me. “I had forgotten how bad they could be.”

“Hey,” I said as I came up and hugged her from behind. “It’s okay. We’ll get through this.”

She nodded, but her mood stayed melancholic. When the food was ready, we sat at the table and I checked my messages. 

“Damn,” I said. “Jax was killed last night.”

“What happened,” she asked, looking at the screen.

“There was apparently a scuffle last night and another human killed him trying to grab his pack. The others stopped him, but it was too late to try and save him.”

She looked up at the wall where their cameras were still playing and unmuted the sound. They weren’t saying much, just hurrying down the streets and keeping an eye out. There were more people out at this time of day. We watched as people avoided them, knocked into them, and even a woman with a child saw them and quickly crossed the street in fear. It was a little hard to watch so I returned to my meal.

Nyx continued to watch as she ate her meal, frowning at what she saw.

“What are you thinking,” I asked curiously.

She seemed startled and looked at me a little surprised, but replied, “Um, it’s this perspective. It’s slightly unnerving to watch. From a human perspective, you know? There is so much hate and disdain coming from the Apex. I realized that I probably looked at them the same way. I never even considered how they felt at their treatment, but now I am.”

“Does this mean you’re starting to like humans?”

“I don’t know, but I think I’m starting to sympathize with what they go through. What we consider normal behavior isn’t always the right kind of behavior, I think. I mean they’ve only been in the city maybe 24 hours and two of them have already been killed, it’s sad.”

“This is hard to watch,” I said. “It’s not because I grew up with these people, I grew up believing I was human. If I wasn’t an Apex, that could be me. I seriously doubt you’d have given me the time of day, if that were the case.”

She looked at me thoughtfully and said, “You’re right, I wouldn’t have. I may have noticed how beautiful you are, but I wouldn’t have cared if you lived or died. Plus, you wouldn’t have been allowed in the bar.”

“That says a lot about how Apex are raised.”

“I guess it does,” she said falling back into silence.

I reached over and muted the sound again and glanced one last time at the screens.

“Nyx, are you feeling alright,” I asked concerned over her mood.

She gave me a crooked smile and said, “Probably not. Nightmare, lack of sleep, and watching this isn’t a conducive environment to being in a good mood.”

“Wanna try and get some more sleep?”

She sighed and looked around the room and said, “I guess I should, but you should too. You’re just as tired as I am.”

“Maybe I will, but I’d like to take a walk first. Are you okay with that?”

She frowned as she thought about it, “Not really, but if you really feel like a walk, then you should take a walk.”

“What if I got you a tranq stick? That would help you sleep deeply and you might not be disturbed by your nightmares.”

“Yeah, that sounds good, just not four x dosage. That knocked me out nearly all day.”

“Two x?”

She nodded, “Yeah, that sounds good. I’m in my human form, so it shouldn’t burn off nearly as quickly as it would when I’m in my wolf form.”

I leaned over and kissed her and whispered, “Okay. I’ll let Jackson know and maybe he’ll give us a few so that you can rest easier.”

“How about we use them only if I can’t sleep or the nightmares are bad?”

“Deal.”

“Thank you,” she whispered to me and pulled me in for a deeper kiss.

I got ahold of Jackson and was soon in possession of four tranq sticks. Nyx settled into the bed and injected herself with one. I stayed with her until she fell asleep. I moved the hair off her face and gave her a kiss on her forehead. Her mouth quirked in a small smile before it went slack.

I left the room and strolled towards Mom’s and Jackson’s office. Mom was sitting behind the desk when I knocked on the door.

Mom looked up and a smile lit her face, “Clarke, what a pleasant surprise. Did you need something?”

I shook my head and came in, “I was wondering if any of them were showing signs of developing powers.”

“As a matter of fact, there’s a few. Want to see for yourself?”

“Please.”

She brought up a total of five scans and zoomed into the sections. They were weak, but showed a definite spark. It was too soon to tell their powers, but you could tell there were three werewolves. 

I leaned back in the chair and said thoughtfully, “You know it’s interesting, Mom, that there are more werewolves than mages.”

“Why is that interesting,” she asked currently.

“Well, when we did the brain scan on the people who hadn’t been affected by the toxin, we had 13 werewolves and only 9 mages.”

“Do you think it means anything?”

“It could. Since we’re in werewolf territory, the cure is trying to create enough werewolves to make a bigger pack.”

“How can a cure do that? That doesn’t make sense.”

“It does if you consider that Mother Earth could be manipulating the mutations. She is the original creator of the Apex, after all.”

“I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that this is all real. That Mother Earth actually exists,” she said shaking her head in disbelief.

“Well, it’s hard to ignore the fact when you can do this,” I said and created a small ball of lightning in the palm of my hand. “On top of the fact that the pack can communicate with Mother Earth.”

I let the ball fade back into my hand as my mother looked on in awe.

She cleared her throat and asked, “How is Nyx doing?”

I sighed and replied, “She had her first nightmare last night. We were up a very long time before she could calm down to get some more sleep. I had to tranq her just so she could get some solid rest.”

“You had to tranq her?”

“Yeah, it was the only way I could get out of there for a little while. We only used a double dose though.”

“You know it’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better,” she said worried.

“I know, Mom. I just hope that I’m up for it.”

“You can always ask the others to help, too, if you need to take a break from keeping an eye on her.”

I smiled wanly, “Only if Nyx allows it. Right now, she only trusts me.”

She frowned, “That’s not good, either. She needs to let the others back into her life.”

“She has to a point,” I replied. “She speaks to them telepathically if they search her out or her them. Or she calls them up on the computer. She’s not keeping them out of the loop and ignoring them completely.”

“Still, you’ve got to start letting them into the room so she can adjust being around them. It’s not always a good plan to continue to isolate herself.”

I nodded, “I’ll talk to her about it. Mom, I better get going. I want to walk around for a bit more before I try to get some sleep of my own.”

“Alright, sweetheart. Just remember that if you need to take a step back there are other people who would be willing to step in.”

“Thanks, Mom. I’ll see you later,” I said and left the office.

She had given me something to think about that honestly, I had forgotten I could do. It would be nice to have some more solid help, but it was something that I had to discuss with Nyx before I could ask them. And really, it was only one nightmare for now. We’d see over time just exactly how bad it was.

I walked into the sunlight and shaded my eyes until they could adjust. I walked around heading towards the fields and the new greenhouses. Walking into one was like walking into fields of crops. I ran my hands gently over the new stalks as I walked through it. The earth mages were hard at work and I watched as the pack members taught ours in how to efficiently use their powers. Monroe looked around and when she saw me, smiled and waved. I waved back, but didn’t walk over to her. She needed to concentrate and I was glad that she found something that let her feel good about herself.

Next, I headed over to the compound. Mainly, because it was habit. I entered it and headed straight to the back yard. Stepping out, I noticed that there were a lot of things going on at once. Some of the wolves were working out on the obstacle course as others were learning to use their powers while in their wolf form. Mages were working on efficiency and target practice. I watched a little bit of that and was mildly impressed at how well they seemed to be doing. I saw Dani over by the obstacle course and made my way over to her. I felt we needed to have a conversation about the other day.

She apparently had a bit of sixth sense because she turned towards me as I started walking across. She looked about like she was looking for someplace to hide, but when she couldn’t find one, she walked over and we met in the middle.

“Hey, Clarke,” she said shyly.

“Hi,” I replied. “Can we talk?”

She nodded looking a little worried, but I smiled at her as we walked back to the house.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to yell or anything,” I said to reassure her. “I just want to understand the other day.”

“Oh, okay,” she said looking out of the corner of her eye at me. “Look, I’m really sorry that I did that out of the blue. It’s just that I can’t seem to get you out of my mind.”

“Really,” I said, intrigued. “Come on, let’s head up to my room.”

“You sure that a good idea?”

“It’s the only place where we’ll have privacy, Dani.”

She nodded and said, “Okay.”

We walked up to my room in silence. When we got to my room, I warded the door and she looked at me with renewed worry.

“To keep people out,” I replied. “And to keep you from bolting like you usually like to do.”

“Oh,” she said and sat in the chair by the desk.

I sat on the bed and crossed my legs so that I was sitting fully on the bed.

I looked at her, but she couldn’t look me in the eyes.

“Can you tell me the why behind the kiss?”

She blushed a scarlet red before she glanced at me and quickly back down. She sighed and said, “It’s just that I couldn’t take it anymore. Like I said, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. The more I’m here, the greater the pull towards you. I’m visiting the barracks nightly trying to curb what I really want to do.”

“Which would be to sleep with me,” I said.

She nodded, “I know how it sounds, but I just had to kiss you. I think it was a mistake to do that, because it makes it even harder to control myself.”

“I had a conversation with Nyx about what happened.”

“Oh,” she said looking up at me. “What did she say? She’s not mad at me, is she?”

I shook my head and smiled, “No, she understands and is quite comfortable with it.”

She visibly relaxed and said, “I’m glad. I was worried that I put a wedge between you two.”

“No, she surprised me really. She took it like it wasn’t a really big deal and told me it was frequent to have multiple partners even if you’re in a committed relationship with someone.”

She grinned sardonically, “She would. She’s always been so chill when it comes to things like that. Honestly, Lexa is too.”

“Really? They seem to be quite the pair, don’t they?”

“You have no idea. Even after they claimed one another, they always welcomed me into their bed if I wanted to.”

“Did that surprise you knowing that they were planning to spend the rest of their lives together?”

“A little, but it spoke volumes about them. They knew that I was a little hurt that neither one of them wanted to claim me too.”

“So, they gave you the next best thing.”

She smiled, “Yeah, they did. We were inseparable as kids and our affection grew with one another.”

“Nyx made it seem like you made a habit of grabbing women and kissing them.”

She blushed, “I may have done that a few times when I wanted to steal a moment.”

“With them?”

“Yeah, it usually turned into more than just a kiss. I knew that I couldn’t do that with you, though. I figured you’d have a hard time understanding that this is natural for us.”

I nodded, “It is hard to understand, but I’m beginning to.”

“Oh,” she replied hopefully.

I chuckled, “Yes. She helped me understand that what I was feeling towards you was natural. That it was okay to be attracted to other women even though I’m with her.”

“She told you that,” she asked surprised.

On impulse, I got up and kneeled before her.

I smiled shyly up at her and said, “Yes, she did. I’m gonna kiss you now.”

She looked at me surprised as I stood up and held her head gently in my hands. Her eyes widened, and her breath came in short gasps as I leaned down and brought my lips to hers. The kiss naturally went deeper and I felt desire building and let myself accept it. Her arms reached around me and brought me closer. I sat on her lap as we continued to kiss. When we parted, she looked at me in wonderment.

“Why,” she asked me hoarsely with emotion.

“Because I wanted to. When we first met, I could understand why Nyx fell in love with you.”

“Really,” she asked surprised.

“Yes,” I said smiling. “You’re a very attractive woman, Dani.”

She smiled and I chuckled.

“And when we were in the kitchen alone and you kept complimenting me, I started to feel attracted to you. Made me really confused.”

“Hmm, and now that we’ve kissed again?”

I smiled and said softly, “It’s still there and a tad more.”

“How much more?”

In answer, I leaned down and kissed her again. She ran her hands lightly up my back and my body shivered in response. She chuckled huskily, breaking the kiss and feeling emboldened, her lips traveled down my throat making me gasp in pleasure.

I started to lose myself as her lips traveled lower and I didn’t want her to stop. She kissed my breast through my shirt and the friction cause my nipples to raise and I moaned.

“God, you are so beautiful, Clarke,” she whispered.

I looked down at her as she looked up at me, her eyes filled with desire. I felt my own desire respond to hers and I greedily captured her mouth with mine. She moaned, parting her mouth and I plunged deeper into the kiss. Her hands had traveled back to my waist and I felt them tighten. Her thumbs slid under my shirt and inched it upward. I allowed her until it was off of me and she stared in wonder. She looked up at me and I nodded slightly. She took a breast in her mouth and I moaned. I lost myself as she picked me up and carried me to the bed. 

I woke up laying amidst crumpled sheets and Dani’s breath in my ear. I lay there, amazed at myself at what I did. It was so unlike me to just randomly indulge myself like this. I shifted onto my side and looked at her. Her arm tightened around my waist and pulled me slightly closer. Once more, stirred by something greater than me, I leaned over and kissed her. She willingly parted her lips and shifted so that I lay on top of her. I couldn’t believe I wanted her again, but lost myself a second time.

This time, I woke up to Dani tracing my face and I smiled up at her.

“Regrets,” she asked.

“None,” I replied.

“Me neither,” she said and kissed me gently.

“Now, I understand why Nyx spoke about your power in such a way.”

She chuckled, “Well, you gave as much as I did.”

“I did?”

“Mm-hm.”

“I didn’t realize I did that.”

She looked at me confused, “You didn’t?”

I shook my head, “I kinda got lost in the moment.”

“Hmm. That ever happen before?”

“Frequently with Nyx,” I answered softly.

“Speaking of Nyx, you should be getting back to her.”

I made a face and replied, “You’re right, but I need to take a shower first.”

She grinned slyly, but I shook my head and said, “Alone, Dani. I don’t think I can handle a third time.”

She pouted, but let me go. When I got out, she was already dressed and waited patiently at the desk.

“You didn’t have to stay,” I said as I dried my hair.

She laughed, “I probably would have left, but you warded the door, remember.”

I blushed and said, “I forgot. Sorry.”

“No worries.”

I pulled on my boots and took down the ward. Dani came up behind me and wrapped an arm around my waist. I leaned back into her for a moment and she gently kissed behind my ear.

“You didn’t have to do this, you know,” she said softly.

“I know, I just wanted to,” I answered and turned around.

I looked up into her eyes and saw a look of worry in them.

“What are you worried about?”

She cracked a smile, “I’m worried about what all this means?”

“What do you mean,” I asked creasing my brow.

“I feel a bond between us,” she said carefully. “And at the same time, the bond between me and Nyx feels stronger. I’m starting to wonder what it is about you that is pulling us together, the three of us.”

“So you think I’m at the center of all of this?”

“I’m beginning to believe so,” she said as she moved a strand of my hair behind my ear. “You are a remarkable woman, Clarke.”

I blushed and she grinned, then planted a kiss on my lips.

I opened the door behind me and left, leaving Dani leaning against the door watching me. I chanced a glance back and she smiled at me, I smiled in return.

 

When I got back to our room, Nyx was still asleep. I made myself a cup of coffee and turned the sound on to the screens. It looked like they had found shelter in an abandoned house. They were discussing whether or not they should make their way back home since they’d already lost two of their own. Jaha, of course, wanted to stick it out, trying to reassure them that they were perfectly safe. Seeing the look on their faces, they didn’t agree with him. Jaha actually wanted to make his way to the Coalition and expose the Forest Pack and the fact that there were over a 100 humans being held captive here. I scoffed. The man didn’t even know where the Coalition had their headquarters. For that matter, I didn’t either. 

I heard a rustling from the bedroom and I muted the screen. Nyx came slowly out of the room and made her way to the couch where she flopped down, laying her head on my lap.

“Did you get any rest,” I asked noticing how tired she still looked.

“I’m not sure. I was dreaming in fragments, good and bad,” she answered, looking up at me. “I didn’t wake up, but my mind still feels like it’s been beat up.”

“Hurts?”

“Mm-hm.”

“Let’s see if I can help with that,” I said and put my coffee down on the table.

I turned around a little bit and started massaging her shoulders. She groaned when I found a knot and tensed as I worked it out. She sighed when she felt it ease. I moved up to her neck and then the base of her skull. I worked my way up until I was gently working on her temples. I could tell the pain was lessening as she continued to relax. 

“Better,” I asked as I rested my hands around her neck.

“Much, thank you,” she said, her eyes closed. “How was your walk?”

“It helped,” I said. “Mom showed me brain scans of five people showing signs of becoming Apex. Three more werewolves and two mages.”

“And not even a full four weeks yet,” she said.

“Mm-hm. I starting to think that the cure will produce more werewolves than mages.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Well, Octavia’s pack has more members than there are mages right now. When you throw in Kane and the three in recovery, that brings the total to 17. Mages number 11, I think.”

“Mm, it’s possible,” she said thinking, “but we’ll know more soon. Go anywhere else?”

“Just the compound,” I replied casually. “Watched them training for a bit.”

“How are they looking?”

“Good. They’re really catching on quick.”

“When you accomplish a goal successfully it builds confidence. Then it keeps building and you don’t freak out so much when you fail.”

I smiled and said, “I can attest to that. It’s an amazing feeling when you do something right.”

“It is, but sometimes it can lead to overconfidence, which in turn can become deadly.”

“Double edged sword?”

“Mm-hm. It’s important to find a balance between confidence and a healthy dose of common sense. It’s why I stress learning your limits.”

“I can understand that,” I said thinking. “I, um, ran into Dani at the compound.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, we had a talk about the kiss.”

“And?”

“She told me that she hasn’t been able to stop thinking about me. That she’s been visiting the barracks nightly trying to get me out of her mind. Didn’t work, so she kissed me, which in turn made it worse for her.”

“Oof, that’s heavy, but I can understand how she feels. I had the same problem.”

“Really,” I said, smiling.

She looked up at me bemusedly and said, “Really. It’s hard to describe, but there’s this constant desire and pull when it comes to you. I can tell you feel the same way.”

“Oh, really? Do tell.”

She chuckled, “Every time I’ve come into the same room where you are, you never stop looking at me and sometimes there’s this hungry look in your eyes. You initiate as much as I do. You’re probably have had more sex in the past three weeks, then you’d ever thought possible.”

I laughed, “Yeah, you’re right. I’m surprised that I can walk straight.”

She smiled, “Something else happened today with Dani, didn’t it?”

I blushed and said softly, “Yeah, um, we ended up sleeping together.”

Her smile widened, “And I don’t think you mean actually sleeping.”

“No.”

“That explains why I feel closer to her.”

“She said that she felt the bond between you two grew stronger and that she feels one between me and her,” I said confused.

“Ah, I’d forgotten our bond.”

“Bond?”

She sat up and turned to look at me and explained, “A bond is something that is deeper than a claiming. It’s extremely rare because bondmates actually feel one another, like they’re connected in similar ways to twins. The three of us, me, Lexa, and Dani bonded nearly 15 years ago. It could have been because that’s the first time we all slept together. After that, it grew stronger as we got older and we could tell exactly what each other was thinking without looking at one another. Sometimes we would scare the Council when we’d finish each other’s sentences or spoke nearly identically.”

“Did it go away when you were banished?”

“It didn’t go away, per se, but it diminished greatly because we were no longer in contact with one another. Our bond strengthened when Lexa and I made up and rekindled our relationship and got stronger the night we all slept together. Even my bond with you has gotten stronger.”

“Wait, you knew we were bonded?”

“Yeah, sorry I didn’t mention that before. It became apparent when you got me to talk and shift for you.”

“So, the three of us are bonded? Wait, does that mean I’m bonded to Lexa, too?”

“Yes to the first question. I don’t know if you are bonded to Lexa. The two of you would have to meet and see if there’s any kind of pull towards each other, similar to what happened when you met Dani.”

“Oh.”

“It doesn’t mean that you have to claim either one of us, if that makes you feel better. It just means that we’re more deeply connected than normal Apex.”

“Hold up,” I said, looking at her sternly. “I can claim you or Dani?”

“Yes,” she replied. “Mages claim differently than weres and it usually occurs between a were and a mage. It’s different than our biting. Mages actually brand those they claim if it’s a were.”

“Does claiming make the bond different?”

“Actually, yes it does. It binds them closer and it becomes like they’re constantly in the back of their mind. Not invasive like you lose the difference between yourself and the other person. They’re just always there.”

“How come neither you nor Lexa claimed Dani?”

“Honestly?”

“Mm-hm.”

“Because we thought she didn’t want to be claimed. We figured she would say something if it was something she was interested in.”

I shook my head and said, “She thought it was because neither one of you were interested in her that way.”

She laughed, “God, we never knew. We spent most of our time with her trying to get her to claim us. It wasn’t because we felt bad for her or anything. We were giving her a choice. Man, we should have just had a conversation with her after we claimed one another.”

“But it didn’t and she thinks that you didn’t want her in that way.”

“Looks like at some point, she and I will have to have a long conversation.”

“I’d say that it’s a long overdue conversation.”

“You’re right.”

“Now, can you tell me why I’m not running for the hills over all of this?”

“No clue. You’re just special.”

“God, I’d wish you would stop telling me that. I feel like everyone is in on some giant secret that they refuse to tell me.”

“Nope, we’re all in the dark with you.”

Something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye and I turned towards the screen. The four of them were suddenly on the run and from their glances back, they were being chased by three people. I reached over and turned up the volume.

We watched and listened as they pushed each other to run faster. We started to see the ground shoot up around them, fire in front of them making them change course, and water trying to trip them up.

“What the…,” I said not understanding what was going on.

“Slavers,” Nyx said quietly. “They’re trying to capture your humans to put on the slave market.”

“There’s a slave market? Like an actual slave market?”

“Yeah, but these guys aren’t official looking, meaning it’s black market slaving. Which is real bad if any of them get caught.” 

“What are you talking about? Can’t we call someone,” I pleaded.

She shook her head, “No, there’s no one to call and even if we got somebody to listen, they would want to know how we know. We can’t have them associated with us in anyway.”

“Fuck. What do you mean by bad?”

She started ticking things off of fingers, “Sex slave, fighter fodder, human experiments, game hunt, food, torture, any evil thing you can think of and it’s there.”

I shuddered at the impending horror as I watched in dread. There was a grumbling noise and suddenly earth shot up right in front of everyone. All but one hit the earth and immediately blacked out. The one that got away, ran even faster and eventually found an abandoned house to hide in. The audio on the three knocked out men was still working and we could hear the conversation the other three were having.

“That was nice work, Billy,” a voice said. “Bribing that clerk was the smartest thing you’ve ever done.”

There was a low whistle and then a voice said, “Will you look at these boys? Wherever they’ve been hiding sure kept them fit. They don’ look like they nev’ missed a meal.”

“Yeah, Sullivan will be as pleased as honey on a biscuit when he sees this haul.”

“How much you think we gonna get for ‘em?”

“Mebee 500 a piece? I don’ know. It’s too bad we lost one, tho’”

“Yeah, he’d a been good for a game hunt. I hear Ice Pack lookin’ for some fresh meat.”

I felt Nyx bristle at the name and laid a hand gently on her arm and gave it a quick squeeze. She placed her hand over mine and squeezed back, her eyes glued to the screens.

“Well, come on den. Bes’ not keep the boss waitin’ for these fresh pickin’s.”

We heard them grunt as they hauled them up and moved them. We heard a door open up and three thuds as they were dumped in the vehicle. The door slammed shut and the engine started up.

We looked over at the one who had escaped and he was crying. My heart went out to him.

“Can we get him,” I asked.

“It’s not up to me to decide, Clarke,” she said shaking her head. “Your Council will have to decide and then petition Indra to send someone out to fetch him. I don’t think that’s likely though. She’ll see it as a waste of resources. I’d agree with her. It’s not worth our men to get one human back here. If he wants to make his way back, all well in good, but we’re not going to help him.”

“What about the other three?”

“They’re as good as dead, Clarke. Raven needs to increase the encryption on the implants, like 50 times, to keep anyone from getting any information off of them.”

“What kind of information could they possibly get?”

She looked at me and coldly said, “Where they came from.”

“No. We can absolutely not let them know where they came from. They’ll try and take everyone.”

“Exactly.”

“Let me get in touch with Raven.”

“Tell her not to cut the feeds of the three from the rest of the humans until after they’ve been sold.”

“Why not now?”

“The humans still have to know what happens when the wrong Apex capture the humans for slavery.”

“I’ll let her know,” I said sadly.

I went over to the computer and got ahold of Raven. She was just as taken aback about keeping the cameras rolling after I explained where they were being taken. She didn’t like it, but she agreed to do it. When I hung up with her another vidcall came through. I answered it and was surprised at seeing Ben on the other end.

“Ben, what a pleasant surprise,” I said. “Did you need to talk to Nyx?”

“Yes, ma’am if you please,” he said. “It’s important.”

Nyx came up behind me at hearing Ben’s voice.

“Ben,” she asked warily. “What’s going on?”

“I think you better sit down for this one, boss. By the way, it’s good to see you back in human form.”

“Thanks, Ben,” she said dryly as she sat down.

We scooted ourselves so that we could both see him comfortably.

“I got some bad news.”

“Okay. Spill it.”

“The Garrison Commander was found dead this morning after being missing for over four weeks.”

“Damn. How?”

“Torn apart limb from limb. Much like the human that witch kept.”

“You think it’s the same people?”

“I’d bet on it. He disappeared the night our house blew up.”

“Fuck. This can’t be good. What the hell did that bitch find that would’ve brought them to visit the Garrison Commander?”

“I don’t know, but they were captured on video speaking with him outside his home and then walking into it together. They’ve put out a bolo and are asking anyone who may be able to help identify them.”

“Did you send them what we know?”

“I did, through anonymous servers and emails, including the name of the woman.”

“Good man. Any other news?”

“I’ve been watching the camera feeds you implanted into the humans. I recognized the name they said, Sullivan. Nyx, he’s real bad news. He’s the one you go to if you really don’t want anyone to know you’re buying humans. Only the worse of the worse buy from him, including Ice Pack.”

She rocked back into her chair and I could feel her vibrate with anger. 

“Sorry, boss, but it also appears that they’re roaming the market for fresh meat as well as hunting you down.”

“Thanks for letting me know. Have you already informed de Pakstoka of this?”

“Yeah, boss. She knows and wanted me to pass on that the Western Border is closed down. No one’s getting in or out. They’re replacing the entire guard and leadership. The rest are being tried for treason.”

“What the fuck did that bitch do?”

“I don’t know, boss, but it took her eight years to find out that the border was a huge ass leak. Who knows what information went out that way.”

“And there’s nothing for you to follow either, is there?”

“I’m afraid not. Not a single file, image, bit, or paper trail. Whatever information they got a hold of is gone and probably in the Bear King’s hands.”

“Dammit,” she seethed.

“It’s alright, Nyx,” I told her, rubbing her back. “There’s time to figure the Ice Pack out. We have other things to concentrate on. Like you getting better.”

She nodded and closed her eyes. She took some deep cleansing breaths and slowly relaxed. When she opened her eyes, they seemed clearer.

“Thanks for letting me know, Ben. I appreciate you keeping me in a loop,” she said.

“No problem, boss. Just work on getting better. Maybe you should consider taking the medication again.”

She nodded and smiled at him wryly, “I’ll think about it. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Right-o, Nyx. Bye,” he said and the computer screen went back to my inbox.

“Nyx,” I said worriedly, “are you okay.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m okay,” she said, not looking me in the eye.

“Nyx, look at me.”

She glanced at me, but then quickly turned her attention to the wall.

“Seriously, Nyx. A glance isn’t cutting it.”

She heaved a long sigh and looked at me. There was burning rage in her eyes and she was tense again.

“Nyx, there isn’t anything you can do about it,” I said carefully keeping my voice calm. “You’re wasting energy. You need to relax.”

She shook her head and replied, “I’m trying. It’s just that every time I start to think about everything, my mind goes right back to the bitch and the Ice Pack. They ruined my life and are now hunting me because I’ve cost them information on Lexa and the pack. And I can’t do a damn thing about it. I’m stuck in this damn room, because I can’t get myself to take one step beyond that door. I should be out there hunting her down and ending her and the Bear King. Make them pay for everything.”

“Nyx, that’s not the answer. You can’t just kill them because they messed up your life. The better question is to ask why. Why did they feel the need to get rid of you? Why are they so desperately looking for a way to take Lexa down? The question is why?”

“It’s not fair, you know,” she said sniffling. “I did everything right. I trained. I learned. I kept Lexa safe. Then they destroyed it in a single day. It took me so long to feel halfway normal. To move on. To forgive Lexa. To learn to love again.”

“I know, sweetheart. It’s not fair that they can continue what they have been. Thanks to you, Lexa found out the truth. You’ve shut down the leak. You’ve shut down the Western Border. Ice Pack won’t be able to get back in here.”

She scoffed, “All we’ve done is slow them down. Whatever their endgame is, they’re not going to stop. I’ve done nothing.”

“You’ve bought the pack time, Nyx,” I said, forcibly trying to get her to listen to me. “Nyx, you’ve done good. You went above and beyond what you were hired to do. You proved that what you saw was real to you. You ousted a spy, uncovered a conspiracy, welcomed back into the pack, made up with Lexa, and you’re right where you’re supposed to be. This is just a hiccup. A slightly dangerous hiccup, but a finite one. You’ve got to trust yourself again and we can help you regain that self-trust. You are worthy of our help and trust and love. Don’t let the Ice Pack win by losing yourself. Fight.”

She sighed and laid her head on her arms and sounding muffled said, “Logically, I know you’re right. I know that. Then there’s all these self-doubts and I’m beating myself up mentally because I feel like such a failure. Like all of the good that I have done these last 8 years are meaningless, no matter how many people I’ve helped or saved. Not even the reputation that I worked so hard to cultivate. That confidence is gone and I’m not sure I’ll ever get it back this time.”

“Nyx, the very fact that you can identify and voice these thoughts and feelings is a sign that you’re fighting to get better. You know what to work on. Now, you have to stay motivated to changing those thought patterns. That’s why I’m here, in this room, with you. That’s why everyone else wants to help you beat this. You are worthy and you are loved.”

She shifted her head until she looked at me with one eye and said, “We’re going to be having this conversation or some variation for awhile, aren’t we?”

I smiled at her and replied, “Until you start believing it, yes. Nyx, I love you. I realize that this sucks and you want to just curl up and hide in a corner of the closet, but you can’t do that. I won’t let you.”

“You know,” she said as she propped her head up to look at me better, “I’m not so angry anymore.”

I leaned over and gave her a kiss, “That’s because we talked, silly. Talking helps.”

“Hmm,” she said and pulled me closer. “Thank you.”

I nodded and kissed her again. She deepened the kiss and when we parted, she said, “I love you, Clarke.”

“I love you, too, Nyx.”


	33. Echo

Three Weeks Earlier

Kneeling in front of the throne, I glanced briefly at the Bear King. I knew he wasn’t going to be happy with me when I told him the news. I trembled at the thought that this might be my last moments alive.

“What news do you bring me, _Loufa_ ,” he asked, coldly.

I took a deep shuddering breath and said, “I have failed you a third time, Sire. Nyx Allistar still lives. I was unable to find her in Old Towne.”

He roared and I shrank into myself and waited for the axe to fall. He stomped down the dais and hit me so hard that I flew several feet until I landed in a heap. My head was swimming and my body was racked with pain as he strode over to me. I whimpered as he stood over me.

“I warned you what would happen if you failed me a third time, wolf.”

“Y-y-yes, Sire. I deserve to die for failing you. I expect nothing more,” I stammered and waited fearfully.

“Before you die, were you able to learn anything that might be useful?”

“Yes, your highness. We did gather new information.”

“Tell me,” he demanded impatiently.

“I was able to find a photo of a woman in the wreckage of her house. We took it to the Garrison Commander. We were able to identity the woman in the photo, her location, and learn that Nyx Allistar went on a sabbatical for an indeterminate length of time.”

“Do you have the photo?”

I reached into my jacket pocket and shakily removed it, handing it to him. He unfolded it and stared intently at it before turning his cold stare to me.

“Who is she and why is she important?”

I swallowed and answered, “Her name is Clarke Griffin. She visited the Commander along with two companions. An Apex and a human. They came out of Forest Pack Territory and informed the Commander that they and their people moved into Manassas without knowing where they were. They captured several pack members and were wanting to rectify the situation. He of course, could not provide them help, but gave them her name.”

“Interesting,” he said and crouched in front of me. “Tell me more.”

“I tried to get in contact with our informant to gain further knowledge, but was unable to reach him. We went to the Western Border to enter and investigate ourselves. I was able to persuade someone to tell me why. Our informant, Gustus, was found out and he and his family were subsequently arrested for treason. Nyx Allistar had been seen in the territory and was supposedly the one who discovered Gustus.”

“So, that is where the bitch is hiding. Continue.”

“Yes, Sire. _De Pakstoka_ had hired her to get her pack members released by those that are currently residing in Manassas.”

“Had?”

I nodded, “Yes, had. When Gustus was discovered, they found out that I had been involved in what happened eight years ago that ended in her banishment along with the plot of gathering information of _de Pakstoka_. She has been pardoned of her crimes and is back as her Second.”

He roared and back handed me, splitting my cheek open and causing a mouth full of blood.

“How did she discover this?”

“I, I do not know. I was careful not to be seen anywhere.”

“You failed, wolf.”

“I did,” I said weakly. “I am afraid to also say that the Western Border has been closed indefinitely. I am not sure of the cause, but I am assuming it is because their Council member was also found out.”

“So, you are informing me that two of their borders are now cut off from us.”

“I am.”

He got up and began pacing as I waited fearfully. He would occasionally glance my way and I could hear the growl emanating from him. I trembled harder at each growl. 

“ _Wor heda_ ,” he yelled and the man came forward and kneeled.

“Sire,” he inquired.

“She’s yours,” was all he said and the look in the man’s face was one filled with gleeful anticipation.

I cowered as the man walked up to me and hauled me to my feet. I didn’t resist because I knew he wanted me to and I was pulled to the dungeons. There were screams coming from every corner of it and I was tossed into a cell like a rag doll. I just laid there, unmoving as he laughed maliciously.

“You and me are going to have some fun, wolf,” he said as he shut and locked my cell door. “You’re going to wish you’d died in that hole.”

I flinched, but stayed unmoving until he walked away. When he was gone, I got up and moved to a corner and waited.

 

I was forced to endure three weeks of torture before they finally got bored. I was nothing but a bloody mess of broken bones, flayed skin, nearly toothless, hairless, and every fingernail and toenail were gone. My throat was raw, my tear ducts dry, my body numb to any pain. All I could do was pray for it all to end. That’s all I wanted now, was for this to end. There was no answer. There was never an answer. Despair was my only companion as Death kept it’s distance.

I heard the door open and I couldn’t move or make a sound, not because I was trying to make myself appear dead, but because I couldn’t. I was grabbed and dragged out of my cell. They didn’t bother to carry me and I was sure that I left a bloody trail behind me. This was it. This was finally the end and I was so grateful that I wanted to cry in relief.

I was dumped inside a brightly lit room that I could barely see through my one good eye. My other one had been ripped out long ago.

“The Bear King wants this one to live. God knows why,” someone sneered. “Heal her.”

I heard footsteps near and someone knelt next to me. I felt my arms lifted and turned as was my head. When they let go of my head, it lolled to the side. The person stood up.

“How does he expect me to do that,” the healer said. The melodic voice belonged to a woman.

“I don’t know, healer. He just wants this done.”

“He expects me to perform a miracle. She’s a heartbeat from being dead. I do not want my life forfeit because I could not save her.”

“Not my problem, healer.”

I heard a sigh and then she said, “Then lay her on the table so I can get to work.”

I was hefted up and landed with a thump on a hard surface. My breath rattled in my chest and my heart fluttered. I prayed that it would just stop. Then it did. Four times it stopped and four times she started it again. The fifth time and I was gone. She had failed.

 

_It’s about damn time, child_ , a voice said and I opened my eyes to find myself in nothing but light.

I laid there unmoving. Not understanding what was going on. I knew I was dead, so how was I even here thinking about this or hearing a voice.

_You’re at the cusp, Echo, the voice said. You have a decision to make. Give yourself a chance to redeem yourself or die and know nothing but darkness as you face your sins._

_Show yourself_ , I demanded as I sat up.

There was a sigh and an old woman materialized out of the light.

_Who are you and where am I, if I’m dead?_

She shook her head as she neared. A pair of chairs sprang from the light.

_Sit down_ , she said as she sat in one of the chairs.

I got up and sat as if compelled.

_Good. As to who I am, I’m Mother Earth. Where you are is known as the Inbetween. As I said, you have a decision to make, child. Die and let the darkness consume you as you deserve. Or a chance of redemption._

_Redemption?_

She nodded, _Yes, indeed. Redemption. A chance to make up for what you’ve done to my beloved Forest Pack._

_Beloved?_

She smiled, _You would know why if you had made it across the border before your group was attacked with powerful magic._

_I remember the attack. The Forest Pack attacked us and my entire family died._

_Then you were supposedly rescued by the Bear Queen and trained to be a spy for them. You gave them your loyalty and fealty for attacking your family._

_They did not attack us._

_I’m afraid they did. They do not like anyone trying to leave, regardless if they are bear or other. They manipulated you, Echo. Now’s your chance to get back at them, if you want to._

_How would I do that, if what you say is true?_

_Complete your task. Kill Lexa Devereux and Nyx Allistar._

_Wait. You want me to kill the leaders of your beloved pack? Why would you ask me that?_

_I cannot tell you. If you do this, the truth will begin to reveal itself and lead you to the path of redemption._

_I can’t even get into Forest Pack without being killed on the spot._

_You will find a path on the Eastern Border that will take you right to them. It will be difficult and perilous, but you can survive if you choose this path to find out the truth._

_What’s in for me besides redemption?_

She chuckled, _Smart. You’re not one to follow blindly. How about the chance to become part of a pack that needs you, even if they don’t know they do. You have a powerful ability that could help them achieve their destiny. Learn why Nyx has been able to avoid death after all of your attempts, because the truth is, you’ve succeeded every time except for this last time. She failed to kill herself after you implanted those compulsions in the people who survived her massacre._

_Are you saying that after everything I’ve done, they will forgive me and allow me to join their pack? Why would I ever want to do that? And you’re telling me that I have succeeded and failed at the same time to kill Nyx Allistar. How is that even possible?_

_You will have to prove yourself to Lexa and Nyx that you are worth joining their pack. You still yearn to be a part of a family again. It’s what drove you to doing every thing in your power to get the monarchy to accept you. To answer your last question, it is because Nyx has a greater destiny than that of the Forest Pack. So, I’ve saved her time and time again after you succeeded._

_You did?!_

_Yes, child. Even you have a destiny, Echo. One that I cannot afford to lose._

I thought about what she was telling me and I found no sense of it. I was dead. I had failed at every turn I had taken in the last eight years and Mother Earth was telling me that I had a destiny to do something that involved the very people I have been trying to eliminate. It was preposterous. How was I even going to get close enough to kill Lexa and Nyx? They were too well guarded and not to mention I had no idea where they were within the territory.

_Lexa is in Clifton and Nyx is in Manassas, she replied, reading my thoughts, which was creepy to have the talent turned on me. You have time to kill them. You’ll be given the opportunity midway through Spring._

_How will I even accomplish this? I will have no tools nor shelter to wait until Spring._

_Does this mean you will do this task for me?_

I sighed, _It doesn’t feel like I have a choice in the matter. I’m not sure I’m ready to face what I’ve done._

She grinned wide and said, _Excellent! Now as to how you will live through winter, there is a cave system you can stay in and keep watch over Manassas._

_Why would I want to watch Manassas?_

_Because that is the catalyst of what is coming. You may even learn something._

_And you’re not going to tell me what I’m supposed to learn or why I’m watching over the town._

_Nope. Now as to the tools you’ll need. There will be a cabin near the border. In there you will find everything you need. It is up to you on how to utilize what is there._

_A cabin with everything I’ll need? And how will I get there? I’m in the middle of Ice Pack territory. I’m beyond repair._

_As we speak your body is being carried to the dumping ground. That is where you will make your escape. As to your body, you’ll be right as rain when you wake up. When you get to the border checkpoint, follow the border five miles to the left of it and you will find your way in._

I sighed, she had answered every question I could think of. Except for what was coming and what I would learn.

_Fine, Mother Earth. Send me back._

She clapped her hands and I found myself in darkness. I slowly became aware of an incessant buzzing and gnawing sounds. A sharp bite on my leg brought me back to awareness and I jerked my leg sending whatever had bitten me scrambling backwards.

I opened my eyes and found myself staring at a blue sky. It was daylight. I gingerly sat up expecting pain, but felt none. I looked down at myself and saw that I was indeed right as rain and naked. My leg was marred by a large bite mark and I looked around to see what had caused it. I found the culprit, a regular wolf that was staring at me hungrily. I growled and sent it whimpering away. The rest of the wolves who had been enjoying their feast ran away as well. 

The buzzing was the sound of hundreds of flys circling around the dead. I breathed through my mouth and crawled over the bodies and out of the ravine that held them.

When I was out, I moved away from it and sat down. I looked around my surroundings and didn’t find a living soul. I sighed and shifted and melted into the forest.


	34. Echo

It took me two weeks to make it to the Eastern border of the Forest Pack territory. I gave it a wide berth as I made my to the border checkpoint. Rounding the corner of a huge pile of boulders, I saw the cabin I had been told about. I cautiously made my way over and sniffed around it, but I smelled nothing but food inside. Sighing, I nudged the door open and shifted once I was inside with the door closed.

Looking around, I found a cot against one wall, a crate, and a fridge. I went directly to the fridge and found it full of food. Grabbing a slab of raw meat, I dug into it as I opened the crate. Inside I found clothing, a plethora of spy equipment and a rifle case. I pulled the case out and found that a sniper rifle lay inside with ammo. So, that was how I was supposed to kill them. Easy enough and I wouldn’t have to get close to them. I pulled out the clothes and found a duffel underneath. I finished the meat and hurriedly put the clothes on. I was mildly surprised that they fit me perfectly and I surmised that the old woman had stocked it. I grabbed a smaller slab and a bottle of water and sat on the cot.

Eating, I thought about everything that had happened. I had died and had a conversation with Mother Earth. She told me that I needed to kill the leaders of the pack after I had made my way to Manassas. I had until Spring before I could kill them once the opportunity had showed itself. I was to learn everything I could about what was happening in Manassas, which was where the woman, Clarke Griffin and her friends were from. I didn’t understand how they could even have made it that far without anyone knowing. I was also supposed to learn something important in that city, but wasn’t told what. I had a destiny and it apparently was tied in with whatever destiny that the Forest Pack was unaware of.

All this thinking was giving me a headache and I laid down to sleep.

 

I sat up straight as the memory of Nyx killing her own people assaulted my mind for the fifth time since I fell asleep yesterday. I was sweating from it and my heart was racing. I pulled my knees to my chest and laid my head on them as I caught my breath and calmed my heart. This had never happened to me before, reliving a memory. I didn’t know why this was happening to me. It wasn’t just that memory. I was forced to dream about everything I’d done to Forest Pack to bring them down. From the manipulations at their Western Border to recruiting Gustus. It had to be Mother Earth’s doing. There was no other reason because those events never bothered me before.

I shook my head to clear it and pulled food and drink from the fridge. I sat back on the cot and tried to guess just how far I was from the border gate. As long as I continued to head south, I figured that I should come across the gate late afternoon depending on how well I remembered. After the gate it was another five miles before I could enter the territory unseen. I looked at the crate and sighed heavily. I would have to walk on my own two feet the entire way to Manassas because of the gear I needed to bring with me. Licking my hands clean, I kneeled in front of the crate and took out the duffel bag. I felt a crinkling in one of the side pockets and found a large plastic bag, big enough to hold the meat that was currently in the fridge. There was also a map of the territory that showed the points of interests I needed to focus on. I was right in figuring out that it would take me most of the day to reach the gate and there was a spot about a mile from the gate marked. It looked like it might be a place to hide and rest until morning. Upon further examination, I estimated that it would take me a week and half, maybe two to reach Manassas. Again, it notated the best cave to hide out in. There was also indications that a wall had been built over the central area of the town and several buildings were marked. I couldn’t make out what they were, but memorized their locations out of habit. There were also tools for camping and several more items of clothing, including an all weather jacket and an extra pair of boots. This bag was bigger than I had initially thought.

I immediately started placing the equipment inside and using the clothes made sure that the more sensitive objects were protected. Finally, I added the food and water. Zipping it up, I hefted it and found it to be relatively easy enough to carry without causing me too much strain. I strapped the rifle case crosswise over my shoulder and then slung the bag over that. I snug them both down and taking one last look around the cabin, I headed out the door and turned north.

 

The sun was beginning to set when I saw the border gate ahead of me. I found an outcropping of rocks that would give me a good view of it and made my way there. I laid my things on the ground and pulled out the binoculars from the bag. I watched them and studied their routines. Two guards manned the gate as another watched the horizon in a small tower. There was a radio tower to the south of the gate, meaning at least one person inside manning it. There was at least probably one more in the office that bridged behind the guard tower. All total five people manned the gate at any given time. There was a long building further inward that was partially obstructed from view. The guard barracks. As the sun dipped lower, four guards came from the barracks and relieved the other guards. This meant that sunset was when they changed guards. Now all I had to figure out how long they stood guard and how many actually manned the border. When I had learned everything I was going to, I pulled out the map and figured out where I was in relation to the place that I would spend the night. Scanning the area, I found the direction I needed to head and with one last glance at the guards, moved towards it. I didn’t reach the location until after night had fallen and found a small cave. I looked around, making sure that there was nobody nearby, and ducked into it. I pulled a small lantern out of the duffel and turned it on before I pulled out some food and water. When I was done, I listened for the night noises and identified them. Satisfied, I turned off the lantern and shifted. It was much warmer and comfortable to sleep as a wolf than huddled and cold as a woman. I slept lightly and only woke when the wildlife began to move about to find their breakfast.

I made my way back over to the gate and watched to make sure that nothing had happened over the night. Everything seemed normal and I started my five mile trek.

It felt wonderful to slip into the forest as I crossed the border and stopped a moment to take in the fresh, crisp air that only a forest could have. I didn’t stand there for long, I didn’t trust Mother Earth to be right that this was an unmanned area. I carefully made my way deeper into the forest and headed towards Manassas.

 

It took me two weeks to reach the edge of the forest that surrounded the town. I grabbed the binoculars and leaving my things hidden, I climbed a tree high enough to overlook the wall. I scanned the wall until I came to the closed gate. On either side of the gate stood two outposts manned by three guards each. Two of the guards stood lookout, east, north, and south. The third guard in each tower sat and seemed to be the log keepers. As I continued to watch, the gate would open up occasionally and a group of five wolves would emerge and head in different directions, possibly hunting or running patrols in the forest. One group came towards me and I hid the binoculars underneath me and tried to breath as slowly as I could as they ran into the forest directly below me. I was surprised when none of them hesitated and there was no nose twitch of them catching an unfamiliar scent. I quickly looked through their minds and found out that they were hunting for meat to last through the winter. I also caught the words human and quarantine from them. That made me curious and when they were out of sight, I turned my attention back to the wall. I couldn’t make out much beyond the roofs of houses and a large structure in the middle. It looked like it might have once been the center of the towns local government, but I couldn’t be sure. Satisfied for the moment, I climbed down and as quietly as I could, grabbed my stuff and headed for the cave.

The cave was in a secluded area and the entrance was hidden by boulders five feet from the cave. I explored the cave and found a fresh water pool towards the back and a small hole in the ceiling for the fire I would eventually need. Opening the duffel, I laid all of the spy equipment and examined them. There was a small drone with a camera and about ten metallic looking baseballs. Each ball had a depression on one side and when it pressed, legs sprang out and a small lens was revealed. There was a small beep and the tablet turned on by itself. As I turned the bug, the tablet showed the cave wall and a close up of my eye. That made me smile and I depressed the button again, turning the bug back into a ball and the tablet turned off. From the looks of it, all I had to do was throw them over the wall and they would do the rest and meant I wouldn’t have to try to sneak in to spy. 

I laid down to take a nap after I had decided to wait for nightfall before I threw them into the camp.


	35. Nyx

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is about a month or so after Nyx and Clarke moved into the bunker

I shot straight up on the couch as the dead reached out to grab me, making me gasp for air. This was the third time tonight that I’d had that dream. Their dead mutilated bodies swarming me, wanting to drown me in their blood. I felt like the nightmares would never end and that I wouldn’t be able to move past them.

I drew my knees to my chest, my body drenched in sweat, and worked on calming down my racing heart. That was the reason why I started sleeping on the couch. These dreams were happening several times a night and I woke Clarke up every time. It wasn’t fair to her to lose sleep because of my nightmares. She tried to convince me that it was okay, but the haggard look on her face told me it wasn’t. 

It had taken me nearly three weeks to stop waking up screaming. For the last month, every night those dreams visited me. I wasn’t eating. Wasn’t sleeping. I could barely stand to be around anyone. I was embarrassed to let them see me this way. The looks on their faces whenever they saw me filled me with despair. They tried to hide the looks of horror, sadness, and pity. God, I hated that pity and it always made me angry seeing that look. I’d started so many fights because of that look. I screamed at them, chased them out of the room and tried to get them to stop coming. They hadn’t. They kept coming, day in, day out. When it got too bad, one of them would convince Clarke to go with them. I never knew what they did, but I was starting to feel jealous. Not because she was spending time with other people doing god knows what, but because she was given a chance to escape the craziness. My craziness. I couldn’t leave my craziness behind like you could a jacket. It was constant, never ending torture for me.

I had half a mind to have Jasper make me something that I knew would keep the nightmares away and give me some semblance of control again. Unfortunately, I’d sworn to Scarlett that I would never make or use it again. When normal medication and herbal remedies had failed, I had created my own drug. It had allowed me to put some distance between myself and the nightmares, which in turn, made them infrequent to the point that I eventually stopped having them. It apparently lifted my mood to the point that I was constantly in a good mood and I was able to continue working each job successfully. Scarlett only figured out something was off about me when I started seeing her several times a day to have sex. It made that compulsion, that need for sex, unbearable. The drug was highly addictive and I couldn’t stop because it made me feel like I was normal, except I wasn’t. Scarlett forced me to go cold turkey and it took weeks to get the need and urge to use out of my system. It wasn’t pretty and it was hard to keep it from Ben. When I eventually didn’t need or want it anymore, my life was so much better for it. It was a crutch that I wanted to never use again.

Only now, the constant nightmares, the screaming, the physical violence I took out on the walls, on Clarke, made me reconsider breaking that promise. It was to the point that I wanted to bash my head into the wall until it stopped. I had tried that once, but Dani had stopped me. I was so angry at her then, that I attacked her and ended up having the oxygen pulled out of me until I passed out. Then came the constant apologies. I said sorry left and right, whenever they witnessed one of my physical bouts. 

Poor Clarke was flinching when my voice raised or I started punching something. It broke my heart in a million pieces seeing that. I didn’t want her to fear me like that. It wasn’t healthy. I tried to get her to leave me permanently. Even tried to break up with her. She wouldn’t and she suffered because of it. I couldn’t let this continue and I couldn’t kill myself. Not after all they’ve done. What Clarke’s done. I didn’t want to fail them, but I didn’t know what else I could do. I was getting worse every day.

I sighed and looked up at the clock. It was just after three in the morning and I knew that any chance of rest was long gone. I peered over the couch to look at the fridge and knew I needed to eat something. I’d barely eaten at all yesterday, but looking at it only made me want to throw up. I looked over at the computer and just couldn’t dredge up the energy to go over there and watch something to take my mind off of myself.

I shifted and looked at the wall where we still had four cameras rolling. The man who’d gotten away from the slavers was scrounging around trying to find food even at this time of night. My heart went out to him, but there wasn’t anything I or anyone else could do. I was hoping that he would decide to make the journey back here so that he could be among his people again, but I wasn’t sure that he’d even be able to make it. The other three were dark. They were asleep. Each of them had been successfully sold off. One of them had been sold to a crime boss and became a servant. He probably had the easiest time. Another had been sold to a brothel that dealt in BDSM that catered to the darker side of the Apex clientele. It wasn’t very pretty to watch and the council had decided that they would end the two feeds later today. I agreed. 

It was the third one that we needed to keep an eye on. Jaha was sold to the Ice Pack and was being trained to be used in one of their hunts. He had finally caught the attention of someone that would listen to him, the king. They were spending nights trading information. Jaha was giving him intimate details of the camp and the king was poisoning his mind to hate our pack. I couldn’t tell what the king was planning, but I knew that it wouldn’t be good for us. So, we kept monitoring it, hoping that Jaha would overhear something useful. Nothing had turned up yet.

I growled in frustration and did the only thing I could. I got up and moved the coffee table away from the couch and did calisthenics until I collapsed on the floor, exhausted. When I could move again, the ugly thoughts came back and I started again. This was how I spent my time when I couldn’t sleep. I exhausted myself until I passed out. That was the only time I ever got rest. My body forced itself to rest and recover. Tonight, I did the exercises ten times before I passed out.

A few hours later, I was nudged awake by a foot poking me in my side. I opened my eyes blearily and found Dani standing over me. I growled and sat up.

She squatted beside me and said, “Nyx, you can’t keep doing this to yourself. You’re nothing but muscles now. This isn’t good.”

“I know,” I replied. “There’s just nothing I can do that’ll let me get some rest. I have to literally exhaust myself physically in order for that to happen.”

She helped me up and I sat on the couch while she got me something to drink and eat. She handed me both before sitting down. I made a face at the meat, but choked it down and drank the water.

“How many times,” she asked with concern.

“Three times. Then it took me ten times before I collapsed.”

She shook her head and said, “It’s not getting any better, is it?”

“No,” I said sadly. “It’s getting worse and I’m at my wit’s end. Nothing is working.”

“What about the medication that Ben keeps talking about?”

“I swore to Scar that I’d never use it again.”

“Why? If it helped you before, it makes sense to use it again.”

“Dani,” I said with a hint of trepidation, “The normal medications and herbal remedies that help with things like this, didn’t work on me. I created a drug that would. It got the nightmares to stop and allowed me to continue working, but it wasn’t really helping me. It’s extremely addictive. I was high all the time. Extremely happy to the point that I was hyper. I needed sex several times a day, every day. The addiction was so bad that I shooting up several times a day to keep that high going. Then Scar got wind of it and I was forced to stop.”

She nodded in understanding and said, “So, that’s definitely out of the choices then. The tranqs aren’t working either. You’re barely eating, sleeping, your moods are chaotic, and you spend as much time healing as you do punching the walls. All of us are stumped.”

I hung my head and said, “I can’t keep this up, Dani. I’m slowly driving myself mad and Clarke is really suffering,” looking up at her, “You need to take her out of here. For her own health and sanity. Get her out of here, please. I need you to take care of her. I can’t put her through this anymore.”

“She’s not going to stay away,” Dani said, looking me in the eyes.

“I know. That’s why I need Jackson to lock down the ward and keep her out of here.”

She sighed, “That’s not the answer, Nyx. If he locks down the ward, none of us can get in here. What if something happens to you?”

I shrugged, “Then something happens. I can’t keep this up. My body’s already starting to shut down. I’m dying.”

She looked at me terrified, “Wha? You can’t mean that. You’re not dying. You can’t.”

I smiled mournfully, “There’s nothing that can be done about it, Dani. I’m not eating, not sleeping, I have no energy. I can feel my organs failing. There’s no way to stop this. So, I need you to swear that you’ll take care of Clarke for me. I know that the both of you love one another. The two of you will be good for each other.”

She stood up and stared down at me and said passionately, “No! No, I refuse to let you die! You can’t do this to us. This isn’t happening. No way.”

I got up and faced her, “Keep your voice down. Clarke’s finally getting the rest she needs. Don’t let her find out this way, please. I’m begging you. Swear to me that you’ll take care of her.”

She looked at me hard and then her eyes dropped and sighing, she said, “I swear to you that I will take care of Clarke. But I’m not going to allow you to die. Not while there is still a way to save you.”

“There’s no way to save me,” I yelled softly. “Get that through that head of yours. The nightmares won’t stop and I’m starting to have them while I’m awake. I can’t bring myself to eat. When I do eat, it’s a battle to keep it down. I am exhausting myself just to get a few hours of sleep. All of that is causing organ failure. I am at the point that I want to kill myself just to stop slowly killing myself. I am tired, Dani. So damn tired.”

She hugged me fiercely and whispered, “Get it through that head of yours that we are not going to let you do either, my love. I’m sorry.”

I felt the pinprick of a tranq and darkness swallowed me whole.


	36. Dani

I laid her gently on the ground as tears started to fall down my face. No way in hell was I going to allow her to die. If her body was really starting to shut down there was still a chance that we could save her. I leaned back on my haunches and pulled my communicator out of my back pocket and called Abby.

“Abby,” I said. “It’s Dani.”

“Dani,” she asked. “Is everything alright?”

“No,” I said sighing, “It’s Nyx. She says that her organs are starting to fail. I’m not sure I believe her, but I need you to take her to medical and examine her. I tranq’d her, so she’ll be out for a bit. Can you please get a medical team down here?”

“Of course,” she said. “I’ll have them there in minutes. Does Clarke know?”

“No, she doesn’t. She’s finally getting some sleep,” I said as I got up and walked over to the bedroom. “She’s not looking good either. We need to get them both to medical.”

She sighed and said, “Alright. God, I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this.”

“I know. I came over and found Nyx passed out on the floor from exhaustion. Three nightmares and ten rounds of exercises. She can barely eat and there’s holes in the walls from where she’s punched. We can’t let this continue.”

“No, we can’t. I’ll do everything I can to keep Nyx from dying, Dani.”

“I know. Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”

“I understand, but thank you anyway.”

There was a pounding on the door and I quickly strode over to let the medical teams in. They checked Nyx’s vitals and then placed her on a stretcher and headed to medical. I went back to the bedroom and gently lifted Clarke out of the bed. She was so tired that she didn’t even stir and she was so light that I immediately became worried and rushed out of the door and followed the team.

We got them settled as Abby and Jackson came into the room. They immediately got to work and the body language they displayed told me a lot of things. I waited impatiently until they were done. Abby ordered bags of nutrients and electrolytes. They were both dehydrated and in dire need of the nutrients.

Abby came over to me as Jackson hooked the up to IVs and said, “She was right, Dani. She is experiencing multiple organ failures.”

I leaned heavily against the wall and took a shuddering breath, “Can we still save her?”

“I don’t know,” she said truthfully. “It’s going to take several days of using our healing powers to even begin to see if it’s effective. I’m putting her into a coma so she won’t fight us. This will give her body a chance to begin recovering from the lack of food and rest. I’m hoping with those combinations we’ll be able to save her.”

“And Clarke?”

Abby looked over at her and said, “We’re lucky with her. She just needs rest and food. The thing we really need to keep an eye on is her mental health.”

“And Nyx’s. We may be able to save her physically, but she’ll just keep having the nightmares and the cycle will begin again.”

She looked at me sadly and said, “You’re right. Unfortunately, there’s nothing that we can do for that. Medication doesn’t work, therapy isn’t working, she’s using exercise as a way to get rest. Nothing we’ve tried has put a dent in helping her.”

“What makes it worse is that only a strong telepath is the only one who can help her. There’s no one in the pack that’s strong enough.”

“Is there anyone outside of the pack, besides the spy, that could help?”

“Not that I’m aware of, Abby,” I said shaking my head. “Lexa’s leery of asking the Coalition for any information on telepaths. They’ll want to know why and we can’t let them know that we have Nyx.”

“Why can’t you let them know about her?”

“If they learn that Nyx is here, they’ll will begin an inquiry as to why she’s been allowed back into the pack and has resumed her duties as Second. If they do that, they’ll find out what’s happened over the last eight years. They’ll see instability and will try to take control. If they get wind of the humans here, they’ll try to take control. So, we can’t let them find out.”

“That’s unbelievable,” Abby said shaking her head in confusion. “They’ll take any excuse to take control of a territory.”

“Not just the territory,” I said quietly, “the people, too.”

“Then why doesn’t anyone try to take them down? If they’re this dangerous, the answer is to bring them down or replace the leadership.”

I sighed, “Groups have tried and failed. None of them were strong enough and couldn’t get others to join their cause out of fear. They’ve got us exactly where they want us.”

She sighed, “Dani, there’s nothing more we can do right now. Clarke will be out for at least two, maybe three more hours. You should take this time to speak with Persephone and Indra. Let them know what’s going on. I’ll let the council know about Clarke.”

I nodded, “I will. I just want to spend a little more time here, if you don’t mind.”

She sadly smiled and said, “Of course. Take your time. We’ll be in the office if you need us.”

“Thank you,” I replied and she laid a hand on my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze before she left me alone.

I looked at the both of them and couldn’t decide who to sit next to. I knew Nyx was no longer going to be able to wake while in the coma, so I sat next to Clarke and took her hand in mine. I stroked her face and moved some strands of hair away from it. Her mouth twitched in response, but she didn’t wake.

“I am so sorry, Clarke,” I said softly. “I should have figured this out sooner. We thought she’d be getting better, not worse. I shouldn’t have left the two of you alone to deal with this. I hope you can forgive me. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost both of you. I love you both. Nyx made me swear to take care of you if she doesn’t make it. I swear this to you, too. I swear that I’ll take care of you always if anything should happen to her. I swear on Mother Earth that I will always care for you until my last dying breath, Clarke. You mean that much to me. I love you.”

I laid my head on her bed and prayed like I’d never done before. When I was done, I got up and kissed her lightly on the lips and then did the same with Nyx. I took one last look at the both of them before I headed to the compound.

_Indra, Sephy? I need to see you in the office. I have news and it’s not good._

_What’s going on_ , Sephy asked.

_It’s better if I tell you and Lexa at once._

_Lexa needs to be informed_ , Indra asked.

_Yes_ , I replied sadly.

I felt their anguish as I came into the compound and headed to the office. They were already there, waiting for me.

“Ben’s getting Lexa right now,” Sephy said as she looked at me worried.

There was no way that I could look at her with any kind of reassurance and that made them sit down hard in their chairs. I moved the computer so that all of us could see the screen before I sat down. Soon Lexa’s face appeared.

“Dani, what is it,” she asked worriedly.

I sighed deeply and said, “It’s about Nyx and Clarke. I’m afraid that Nyx is dying. They’re both in medical. Clarke will be alright soon, but Abby can’t say the same for Nyx.”

Sephy cried out in anguish and I hugged her to me.

“What happened?”

“Her nightmares have been plaguing her night and day. She hasn’t been eating or sleeping. Their living room is riddled with holes from Nyx punching them. She’s even hit Clarke a few times. The only way Nyx gets any rest is when she exhausts herself to the point of passing out.”

“She’s being abusive,” Indra said, horrified.

I swallowed thickly, “Yeah. I know I should have brought it up before, but they refused to let me.”

“And Clarke,” Lexa asked, fearfully.

“She hasn’t been getting enough to eat or rest. She’s lost a lot of weight and looks like shit. Luckily, we caught it in time and she’s due to make a full recovery physically. We don’t know how well she’ll be mentally. This has been a horrible strain on both of them.”

“Scarlett told me about the drug she was taking the first time around,” Lexa said carefully. “It’s not something we can even contemplate on using.”

“I agree,” I replied heavily. “It’s too dangerous. The only thing that could help her is a strong telepath, but there are none.”

Lexa looked at me thoughtfully and then sighed, “There is someone that we can ask for help. The trouble is that she’s impossible to find.”

“There is,” we said surprised.

She nodded and said, “There is. If Nyx was thinking straight she would have remembered.”

“Wait, Nyx knows about her, too,” Sephy asked.

“She does. She’s one of our best kept secrets. Only myself and Nyx know about her. She is the strongest telepath in the world as far as we know. It’s why she’s so hard to find. She has a hard time blocking everyone out, so she stays away from people.”

“So, you’re saying that there’s no way to find her and ask for her help?”

“I’ll send out search parties, but it could take months to find her,” she said dejectedly.

“And we don’t have months,” Indra replied.

“No, we don’t. The Coalition is threatening Ben with breach of contract if we can’t produce Nyx by the end of Spring. If they do that, they’ll bring up a lawsuit and take all of their money and possibly Ben’s life and Nyx’s when they find her.”

“No,” Sephy cried, “They can’t do that.”

Lexa shook her head and said sadly, “They can and will if Nyx doesn’t report to them soon.”

“We’re up shit’s creek with no paddle,” I said bleakly.

“Maybe we’ll be lucky and one of the search teams will find her.”

“Then we better start praying to Mother Earth if we want to save everybody,” Indra said.

“That seems to be our only answer,” Sephy said.

“Indra,” Lexa said suddenly, “I’m coming there. The Western Border is taken care of and the Council is in winter session. I’ve got people here that I trust that can keep everything calm.”

“Are you sure, Lexa,” I asked. “It’s dangerous to have us all here.”

“I don’t care,” she said determinedly. “I need to be there.”

Indra sighed and said, “I’ll have a place prepared for you in the compound. I’ll also call in more guards.”

“Thank you. I’ll be there in two days.”

“Yes, Pakstoka,” she replied. “Everything will be ready by then.”

“Good. I’ll let you get started,” she said and the screen went blank.

“Fuck,” Sephy said as she let me go. “Indra, should Mother be here too.”

“No, unlike the capital I can’t afford to leave the Southern Pack without a leader. I’ll let her know what’s going on.”

“Thank you. I don’t think I’ll be able to keep myself from sobbing if I tell her.”

“Your welcome, child,” she replied. “I’ll let Kane and the council know that Lexa will be here in two days.”

“I’ll call the pack leaders to let them know we need more men,” I said getting up. “By the time I’m done, Clarke should be waking up. If you need me, I’ll be there.”

They nodded and Sephy said, “I’ll go get a suite ready for her.”

I sat behind the desk as they left and started making the calls. They were all displeased with my orders. They were beginning to feel the strain of not having enough personnel to man the border. I apologized profusely and told them that as soon as we could, we’d have them home. It was exhausting and I stopped by the kitchen to pour myself a large coffee. I drank it quickly and prayed to Mother Earth for guidance and help. I didn’t know if she heard me, but I felt a bit better for doing it. I rinsed out my cup and headed back down to medical.

When I got into the room, I glanced over at Clarke and saw that she was still asleep. I came up to Nyx’s bedside and told her that Lexa was coming and chastised her for not letting us know about the telepath. I told her that she better get better or I’d wake her up and kick her ass. I kissed her on the lips and sat by Clarke. She had started stirring when I held her hand and I waited patiently as she woke up.

She turned to look at me and with confusion etched on her face she asked, “Dani, what’s going on?”

“I came by to see the two of you,” I said softly. “Nyx was passed out on the floor and you couldn’t be woken up. I called your mom and they brought both of you here.”

“Nyx was passed out on the floor,” she asked worriedly and tried to sit up, but I pushed her back down gently.

I nodded, “She was. She had worked out to the point that she passed out.”

“Is she okay? Can I see her?”

“No, Clarke, she isn’t,” I said sadly. “You can see her in a little bit, but you need to get some more fluid and nutrients in you. You haven’t been eating well or sleeping.”

“What’s wrong? What aren’t you telling me,” she cried.

I sighed and looking her straight into her eyes, “There’s no easy way to say this, but Nyx is dying. Her body is shutting down. Your mom isn’t sure that even with multiple healing sessions, she’ll live. If she does, she may continue to have medical problems.”

“No,” she yelled and tried to sit up again. “No, she can’t. She can’t die!”

Tears streamed down my face and I said, “I don’t want her to die either, but she isn’t getting better. I’m so sorry that I didn’t catch on earlier. I’m so sorry.” 

She squeezed my hand hard and looked at me with her own tear streaked face. I got up and sitting on her bed, gathered her in my arms. We both let loose the sorrow we felt and cried our hearts out. When we were done, I continued to hold her as she desperately held me close.

“What are we going to do,” she asked through her sniffles.

“I don’t know, sweetheart,” I replied into her hair. “I don’t know. I told Sephy, Indra, and Lexa the news. They’re just as shocked and heartbroken. Indra’s telling her mother the news and the council. Lexa told us that there is actually a powerful telepath that could help, but she reclusive and she’s not sure that she can be found, but she’s sending out search teams.”

She nodded, “That’s good, but why did she hold out on the information.”

“The same reason why I didn’t tell anyone about the fact that Nyx was beating you. We all thought that she should be getting better instead of worse.”

She looked up at me and said, “I’m sorry I made you swear not to tell anyone about that. I just didn’t want Nyx to be taken away.”

I kissed her forehead and whispered, “I know, but I should have done it anyway, but I didn’t and now we’re here.”

She reached up and brought our lips together in a kiss. I felt our tears begin again and I parted laying my head against hers.

“She made me swear to take care of you, Clarke. And I swear that I will, starting now.”

She leaned her head against my chest and wept. I just held her and let her cry herself out as I felt more tears fall.

“Where is she?”

“She’s on the other side of the curtain in a coma.”

“I want to see her.”

“Love, I don’t think that’s a good idea right now. Let the fluids do their thing for awhile longer. She’s barely recognizable anymore.”

“I’m so tired, Dani,” she said woefully. “Of all of this. I hear her screams in my head all of the time. They were so heartbreaking.”

“I’m so sorry that you were left alone to endure all of that.”

“Can you lay with me for a bit,” she asked quietly.

I pulled her head up and kissed her and whispered, “Of course.”

I got out of the bed and came up on the other side, toeing off my boots and taking off my jacket before I came up behind her and brought her close to me. She snuggled deeper and I felt her slowly fall back asleep. I lay there for awhile, just holding her and providing her with the only thing I could. Eventually, I fell asleep too.

I woke to someone gently shaking me awake. I peered over my shoulder and found Sephy.

“I’m sorry to wake you, Dani,” she said apologetically.

“It’s alright,” I said as I gently got up. “What is it?”

She smiled shyly and said, “They brought in a bigger bed for you and Clarke.”

My eyes widened in surprise, “They did? Why would they do that?”

“Abby thought that if you stayed, it would help Clarke.”

“That was thoughtful of her,” I replied and got out of the bed. 

I saw them standing by waiting and I walked over to the other side and carefully lifted Clarke in my arms so that they could switch the beds out. When they were done, I laid her back down.

“She’s lost a lot of weight, hasn’t she, if you can lift her with no effort.”

“She has,” I replied as I moved hair off her face and covered her.

“How could we not see this, Dani?”

“We did. We just assumed that this was part of her recovery. I never expected her to get this violent or that she’d start taking it out on Clarke. I should have never listened to them.”

“Do you think the healers will be able to save her,” she asked as she looked over at Nyx.

I looked over too and said sadly, “I don’t know. She’s real bad off, Seph. They won’t know anything for a few days.”

“We can’t lose her,” she said walking over to Nyx and holding her hand. “Mom’s absolutely beside herself. She wants to be here so badly, but she knows that she can’t.”

“She’ll stay informed,” I said joining her. “Indra will make sure of it.”

She turned to me and hugged me tightly as she started crying. I held her just like I had held Clarke earlier. Tears threatened, but I reigned them in. I needed to be Seph’s rock right now. When I felt the tears lessen, I let her go a little bit, but still held her. 

“I brought you some clothes,” she said.

“Thank you,” I replied giving her a gentle squeeze. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on Nyx, too.”

“I know you will. Dani, I’m worried about what Lexa will do when she sees Nyx.”

“So am I. To have her back in her life and then see this happen. It won’t be good for her. I’m afraid we’ll lose them both.”

She nodded, “I’m afraid of that too, because Lexa feels guilty enough as it is for not believing in Nyx. This may very well drive her over the edge.”

“Then we’ve got to make sure that it doesn’t happen, Seph,” I said determinedly. “She’s family. We take care of family.”

“That we do,” she said and hugged me a final time. “I’ve got to get back to work. You’ve been ordered to stay here unless we need you.”

I sighed, “I should have expected it. Sometimes it sucks to be involved with two women at the same time and worse when they’re both stuck in one place.”

“Well, hopefully once Clarke’s better, we can move her back into the compound. Though you’ll be her constant shadow.”

“Alright.”

“Good, now I gotta go,” she said and left me alone with my two loves.

I closed the door and changed into something more comfortable and laid back down with Clarke.

She stirred and asked sleepily, “Did I just hear Seph?”

I kissed her on the temple and laid my arm around her waist, “You did. She was just here to check on Nyx.”

“Mmm. I heard something about Lexa, too.”

I sighed, “Lexa’s coming. She’ll be here in two days. We’re already prepping the camp for her arrival. More guards and a suite in the compound.”

“Is it safe?”

“We’re making it as safe as we can. She’s making sure that the capital can run itself for a little while.”

“She must love Nyx very much if she’s willing to drop what she’s doing and come here.”

“She does. We’re worried about her, though. We don’t know how she’ll react when she sees her.”

“Because of the guilt she has?”

“Yes.”

“But none of this is her fault.”

“No, but she feels guilty because she didn’t believe Nyx. She believed what everyone had told her. That suddenly Nyx got power hungry and wanted to take over.”

“How could she believe that? From what you both have told me, Nyx has always been loyal and the Allistars never wanted anything more than to serve the Devereuxs.”

“It was the only thing that made sense. So, Lexa believed the lies as she grieved.”

“And because she didn’t believe Nyx, she’s just going to see this as just one more example as to how she failed her.”

“Yes.”

“You’ve got to make sure that she doesn’t go down that path.”

“We’re planning on it,” I said as I kissed her neck.

She sighed and leaned back into me.

“I love it when you do that,” she whispered.

I chuckled, “I know you do, _niron_ , but there will be none of that while you’re recovering.”

She sighed and turned to look at me, “Why does my life have to be so complicated.”

“Because whatever is happening now is complicated,” I said and gently kissed her.

She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me close, deepening the kiss. My hand flexed against her hip and I had to fight the temptation that was building inside of me. 

“Clarke, stop,” I whispered. “We can’t.”

“I know, but there’s a need.”

“I feel it too, but it’s not the time nor the place.”

She nodded, “Is this a bigger bed?”

I laughed, “Yes it is. You’re mother thought it’d be a good idea if I stayed here. Then Indra ordered me to stay here until you’re well enough to go back to the compound.”

“But I want to stay here, with Nyx.”

“I know, but she’s in a coma. And you need to take a break from being by her side constantly. Don’t worry, you can still see her.”

“Okay.”

“Good.”


	37. Clarke

Two days later, Dani and I were playing a card game when her head suddenly shot up and she turned to face the door with her head cocked and her brows creased in confusion. Her eyes widened in surprise and she looked at me.

“What is it,” I asked perplexed by her behavior.

“Lexa’s here,” she said, “And _Scarlett_?”

“How can you tell they’re here?”

“It’s the bond,” she said, staring at the door. “When the three of us, me, Nyx, and Lexa, restarted our relationship, our bond deepened. Somehow, it’s deepened even more and now I can sense her. She’s in the bunker making her way here. What I’m surprised really, is that I can sense Scarlett. Which I shouldn’t? Unless…but how?”

“Unless, what?”

“She’s bonded to us, too,” she said, confused. “This is so weird. Nyx and I are bonded with you. Lexa is bonded with me and Nyx. Which means that Scarlett is bonded with Lexa. If that’s true, the five of us are bondmates.”

“Say what now,” I looked at her in shock. “How is that even possible?”

She shook her head, “I don’t know. I’m not sure I want to know. Oh, this is very confusing.”

She looked over at me and grimaced.

“Oh, what now,” I asked.

“Your hair is horrible,” she answered with a grin.

“Well, your’s isn’t too hot either,” I countered.

She got up and found a couple of brushes. She handed me one and started brushing out her hair. Soon enough, the two of us were presentable. Just in time too, because there was a knock on the door and it opened. The woman I saw entering the room made time stop. I couldn’t stop staring, I was so enthralled. She was the most stunning woman I’d ever seen and she wore her authority and power like a cloak. Her power was just as immense as Nyx’s, maybe more so. My heart raced and I couldn’t quite catch my breath. Then there was that familiar pull, but it was stronger, almost magnetic. Nyx and Dani may gravitate towards me, but I felt the pull to gravitate towards her. My body didn’t know how to respond to her. I wanted nothing more than to taste her lips, making me lick my own in response. I cleared my throat quietly and Dani looked at me funny. I shook my head and worked on calming myself down.

“ _de Pakstoka_ ,” Dani said and bowed. “You honor us.”

Lexa had only eyes for Nyx as she came into the room, and waved Dani off, “Stop that Dani. You know better.”

“I do,” she said. “Would you like a moment alone?”

“If you would, thank you,” she replied and walked up to the foot of her bed.

Dani helped me down from our bed and we walked out, closing the door slightly behind us.

I leaned against the wall and took in huge gulps of air. Lexa was just so much, that I could barely breathe while we were in the same room.

“Are you alright, Clarke,” she asked worriedly, “You’re looking a little green.”

I smiled weakly at her and replied, “Um, Lexa was quite a bit more than I expected.”

She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms, “What do you mean?”

“It’s like she wears a cloak of authority and power. You feel it and it nearly overwhelms you. She’s just so damn powerful that I’m in awe.”

She smiled as she laid her head on the wall and replied, “She has that affect on people, especially when she’s being _de Pakstoka_. She’s forgotten to reel it in now that she’s down here.”

“God, the three of you just exude power. No wonder your families rule the pack,” I said shaking my head in wonderment.

She shrugged, “Most of time, we forget we have it. Nyx wraps hers tight so she seems less than what she really is. Lexa only reins it when she’s off duty, but it’s always simmering under the surface. I wrap mine tighter than Nyx so that people don’t realize that it’s a trio of leaders instead of a duo.”

“Does every pack have it set up like that? A trifecta of leadership.”

“No,” she replied. “Only the head pack does.” She looked at me more closely and asked, “That’s not all that’s bothering you, is it?”

I blushed, “Um, no. To use your analogy, I feel a need to gravitate towards her. It’s almost magnetic. I want her more than I want you or Nyx. Why?”

She sighed sadly, “I was afraid of this when I felt Scarlett. I think the reason that you feel such a strong pull to her is because you two are meant to be together.”

“Like fated? But I don’t even know her,” I said, truly and utterly confused.

“Sometimes it just takes one look and you know. I felt the same way with you, Lexa, and Nyx. I may have even felt it with Scarlett. But, what you’re describing is something called a lifebond. It is the rarest bond two people can have and it’s only between two people. It transcends bondmates and claiming.”

“Where does that leave the rest of you?”

“Still bound to you and Lexa. The bonds don’t fade. Instead, it becomes even stronger and everything goes up several notches. I don’t know how it’ll affect you since you’re a human mage, but with weres, everything increases. Our powers and our telepathy.”

“What if Lexa doesn’t feel the same way when she sees me?”

“I don’t recall any stories where that’s happened. Where it’s a one way feeling. She’ll feel it too.”

“God, can my life become any more complicated,” I whined.

She laughed and hugged me, “I’m sorry, _niron_. I wish I had an answer as to why this is happening to us. I guess Mother Earth really does have a plan for the five of us.”

I grumbled and she kissed me, making me relax into her. I sighed contentedly and lay my head on her chest.

“I don’t want to lose this,” I said quietly.

“You won’t. Not now or ever. Our love triangle has just turned into a pentagon, but you won’t ever lose this.”

“A love pentagon,” I snorted. “Where do you come up with this stuff? People pulled into orbit around another person. It’s insane.”

“Yeah, but it’s our insanity.”

There was a cry of anguish from inside the room and we ran into it. I stopped just inside as Dani slid into Lexa, who had crumbled onto the floor. Dani held her as she completely broke down in tears. I timidly came closer and dared a look at Nyx’s vitals. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that she was still alive.

“Is she…,” Dani asked me from the ground.

“No,” I replied. “There hasn’t been a change in her vitals.”

I sat on Nyx’s bed and held her hand while Dani worked on calming Lexa down enough to talk to her.

When the sobs had eased, Dani asked, “Lexa, baby, what happened?”

Lexa waved her hand up at Nyx and said, “This is all my fault. If only I hadn’t been so quick to judge, so quick to hurt her. If only I’d taken the time to investigate her side of the story.”

“Lex, you couldn’t have known. None of us could have. There was no way to know that woman would be there,” she replied softly and with feeling.

“But you knew,” she wailed. “You knew. Indra knew. You all knew that she was innocent and I ignored you. I ignored her.”

“You were grieving, Lexa. People have a hard time thinking straight when they grieve. You were provided the simplest answer, the logical answer, and made the decision based on empirical facts.”

“I’m so sorry, Dani. I should have listened to you.”

“Hey,” she said and made Lexa look at her, “it’s all in the past between us, Lex. I still love you. That never stopped. We just didn’t see eye to eye and we parted ways for a while. That’s all.”

“You still love me,” she asked quietly.

“Yes, Lexa. I still love you. I always have. Look Lexa, she’s not dead. She’s in a coma. She still has a chance. We’ve got to be here for her so that we can all yell at her for being such a complete fucking idiot. And so we can plan our revenge on the Ice Pack.”

Lexa growled and Dani joined in before they quieted down again.

“They will pay for this,” Lexa said, her voice deadly and making me shudder in response.

“They will. In time, they will.”

Lexa looked over at Dani and brought her into a kiss and whispered, “Thank you, Dani. I should have never let you go.”

Dani blushed, “I left. You had no choice but to let me go.”

“I should have fought to bring you back to me.”

“It’s alright, Lexa. I’m here now.”

“And all it took was finding Nyx alive and thriving.”

Dani chuckled, “I don’t think that was all to it. If the people here hadn’t opened up the bunker, we would have never looked for someone to help us.”

Lexa chuckled, “Funny how things work out.”

“You’re not kidding. By the way, why is Scarlett here?”

Lexa sat up and stared at her opened mouth, “How did you know she came with me?”

“You’ve got a rather strong bond with her, Lexa,” she replied with a smile. “Didn’t you notice that you can feel us too.”

She shook her head, “I didn’t even notice that I had bonded with Scarlett or the fact that I could feel the two of you here. I barely had to ask for directions, though.”

“Lexa, it’s just not me and Nyx that you have a bond with. Nyx and I both bonded with Clarke. You felt the three of us.”

“You’re joking, right?”

“No, I’m not,” she said looking up at me and smiling. “Lexa, I’d like you to meet Clarke.”

She looked up at me and once again time stopped and I found myself frozen as I stared into her eyes. Lexa looked the same way I felt and there was a sharp gasp and she broke our stare to look at Dani. Time started again.

“Dani…,” she said breathlessly.

She chuckled and got up from the ground, helping Lexa up, “Well, that confirms it. You two are definitely lifemates.”

“Lifemates,” she said, stealing a glance at me and making me blush.

“That whole feeling you just had,” Dani said, waving her hand to encompass Lexa’s body, “is the same one Clarke had when she first looked at you.”

“I thought it was a myth.”

Dani laughed, “Wow, you’re forgetting about your 4th great grandparents. They were lifemates, remember?”

She sat on the bed and looked at Dani, “But that was before the apocalypse. Nearly 200 years ago.”

“Still doesn’t change the fact that they were lifemates. They both wrote about what happened the first time they laid eyes on one another. The stopping of time, feeling frozen, heart and breathing were rapid, and that magnetic pull to one another. Clarke’s already told me that she felt the same when she saw you.”

She looked at me and I nodded nervously, unable to find my voice.

“And I felt the same way,” she said quietly as she sat on the bed. “Incredible.”

“Don’t you want to kiss her and cement the bond,” Dani teased.

We both shot up from the bed and cried out, “No!”

She laughed and Lexa smacked her upside her head, making me giggle snort. I covered up my face in embarrassment and Lexa gave me a small smile.

“Ow,” Dani bemoaned. “There was no need for that.”

“Yes, there was,” she replied smoothly. “You always have sex on the mind. You’re impossible.”

“I do not,” she said, indignantly.

“You do too,” I countered. “Who was it that was trying to convince me to play strip poker before Lexa arrived?”

“So I wanted you naked,” she said with a shrug and a grin.

“And what usually happens when I’m naked,” I probed.

Dani had the audacity to blush furiously and said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Mm-hm,” I said with a grin, but it faded when I felt Nyx’s hand twitch.

It twitched again and I stared at her vitals. There was a spike in her heart rate and I looked down at her face. Unbelievably, her mouth was quirked up in a smirk.

“I think Nyx agrees with us, Dani,” I said, pointing at her face. “She’s smirking. I think she can hear us.”

“Well, of course she can hear you, sugar,” a voice said from behind us.

I looked at the woman who had entered the room and that damn pull was there, too. I sighed, this must be Scarlett. She looked at me sharply and then refocused on Nyx.

“It’s been proven a long time ago that coma patients can hear what’s said around them, they just can’t respond much. Muscle twitch here or there and in Nyx’s case a smirk,” she said as she looked at the vitals and tsked.

“Scarlett, it’s good to see you,” Dani said, giving her a hug. “Why’d it take you so long to join us?”

“I was speaking to the two healers that are overseeing the recovered patients,” she replied. “By the way, Lex honey, there’s now a total of 29 werewolves and 22 human mages from the ones that were struck down by the neurotoxin. The rest look like they’re going to stay human.”

“Oh, boy,” I said and sat back down on Nyx’s bed. “We’re going to have to renovate more housing. The compound won’t hold that many weres and we definitely have to have a place for all the mages.”

“I’m sure that Kane and Octavia will figure that part out,” Dani said as she came over to my side of the bed and gave me a quick hug.

“I’m not so much worried about the housing,” I said and started pacing. “It’s the fact that some of our newly minted Apex will have either a human spouse or child. If that happens, what will we do? Do we force them to stay separated or let them move to the surface together? If we allow them to stay together, that is if they want to stay together, it means letting humans outside of the quarantine area. If they don’t have to live in quarantine then the humans in quarantine will want to know why they’re receiving special privileges and the rest aren’t. And if that happens, then that’s another shit storm just waiting to happen. If that happens…”

“Then there’s the possibility of a riot,” Lexa said. “If there’s a riot, more deaths will occur. Which may very well incite a conflict that will end up with more dead.”

I nodded, “Exactly. At the same time there’s what I now know about Apex. Powers are hereditary, which means that it’s a possibility that if there’s an adult Apex and they have a child, that child will also be Apex. It’s most likely that any werewolves that have been created, for lack of a better word, their spouses should also be werewolves and any children will also be weres. Which in theory means that the percentage of Apex and human should be small.”

“That’s sound,” Scarlett said as she watched me pace. “Your healers will need to sit down with each couple that’s an Apex and human to see if the human is okay with the fact. Same, if there’s a human child involved.”

“Right,” I replied. “It still leaves us with the problem of what to do with those pairings and the resulting consequences.”

“Sounds like there needs to be a council session, love,” Dani said as she stopped me from pacing.

I nodded and sighed, “You’re right. We’ve got to address this quickly and come up with a solution that’ll be relatively benign.”

“You mean without bloodshed or death,” Lexa said.

“Yes. I don’t even know how they’re doing with watching the humans that we sent to Old Towne being sold into slavery.”

“Well, I can answer that,” Dani said. “They’ve been demanding that we go and rescue the humans that were sold by any means necessary. They can’t grasp as to why we can’t do that. Or why their own people won’t.”

“Great,” I said. “Dani, Mom said I could leave the room and walk around, didn’t she?”

“She did, but she also said that I needed to walk with you,” she answered, head tilted to the side curiously. “Need to walk to think?”

“Yeah, if you don’t mind,” I said. “This is just too much and I can’t think in here with Nyx lying in bed like this.”

She nodded, “Sure. Lexa, Scarlett, will y’all be at the compound later?”

“We will,” Lexa said. “We can speak later.”

“Sure, hon,” Scarlett said, “I’ll be there.”

“Thanks,” she replied and we got our shoes on and left them with Nyx.

We rounded a corner and Dani pulled me close, wrapping an arm around my waist. I leaned into her and we walked in silence for a bit.

“So, what’re you trying to figure out,” she asked quietly.

“Logistics,” I replied with a smile. “We have temporary housing already set up, so I’m not worried about them having a place to stay. I can’t decide if we should all be in one area or spread out more. Give each other space, you know?”

“Well, how bout this,” she said, thinking out loud. “There are two buildings across from the compound. They could easily be converted into apartment buildings. Have them move in there for an adjustment period. Be closer to the compound so that they can train and get a handle on their powers and wolves. Once they feel comfortable, they can move out to where ever they want to within the camp walls.”

I smiled, “I like that. That’s good.”

“Any thoughts about the Apex and human couples or children?”

“Right now, I know that the adults are finding their spouses or partners. I think it would be a good idea if Mom or Jackson build a roster of that and mark down who is what. I have a feeling there might even be incidents of were and mage pairings. And have Bellamy make a roster of the kids who have parents that were stricken with the neurotoxin and lived.”

“Then once they have a comprehensive list, maybe have them sit down and speak with them about what’s happening to them?”

“Yeah, we can do that. It still leaves us with the unanswered question of what to do with those Apex/human pairings. I’m sure that there is going to be freak outs and one or the other won’t want to have anything to do with the other. It’s the ones that want to stay together regardless. It makes sense to bring those pairings to the surface so they can start a life together again.”

“I’m not sure. Find living quarters outside the quarantine, but inside the bunker for those families that want to stay together seems the easiest. I think that the best possible solution is to speak with the humans and explain what has happened. Let them know that you don’t want to tear families apart and you would like these families to move up to the surface to make sure that the Apex learn to control their powers so that they don’t endanger anyone’s life.”

I stopped our walk and looked at her with a smile. I kissed her and she tightened her arm around me.

“What was that for,” she asked, smiling at me.

“Because you’re smarter than you realize, Dani,” I told her softly.

“Oh,” she said with an eyebrow raised.

“You’ve found two possible solutions to the news of an Apex and human pairing. Don’t knock yourself by saying that you have to stay in the background all the time. You may not be as strong a leader as Lexa or Nyx, but you are a leader,” I said, capturing her eyes.

She looked down and then into my eyes again and whispered, “No one’s ever told me that before.”

I smiled and said, “That’s because you’ve never told anyone before, silly.”

She chuckled, “I guess so. I’m so glad I’ve got you in my life.”

“Dani, I’m lucky to have you in mine. I think I’m ready to head back.”

She nodded and giving me a kiss, we headed back to the room. Surprisingly, Lexa and Scarlett were still there.

“Feelin’ better, sugar,” Scarlett asked me.

I nodded, “I am. Thank you.”

She smiled and a dimple appeared in her cheek, “Good. By the way, I’m Scarlett.”

“Clarke,” I replied, holding out my hand.

When she touched my hand there was a small shock and her eyes widened in surprise as her lips curved into a smile.

“Sorry,” I said apologizing. “I still have trouble sometimes keeping it in.”

“Oh, no worries, darlin’,” she replied in a tone I didn’t quite get. “Worry and anxiety can do that to a girl. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

“You, too.”

Lexa looked over at us and when our eyes met, she gave me a small smile. I walked over to Nyx’s bed and looked down at her and my heart squeezed at the sight of her.

“She’s hardly recognizable now,” Lexa said softly.

“No, she’s not,” I replied just as softly. “So much can happen to a person in such a short period of time. I should have gotten her help sooner, but she wouldn’t let me.”

Lexa chuckled softly, “She’s always been such a stubborn bitch. It’s one of her endearing qualities, she used to say. You shouldn’t blame yourself for not catching this sooner, Clarke.”

“And you shouldn’t blame yourself for the state she’s in.”

She looked up at me and said, “I can’t help but blame myself.”

“Sometimes the way she talks about what happened after the northern border, it seems like it was meant to be. That Mother Earth has a plan for her and she has to endure these hardships. These near death experiences were in order to prepare her for something that’s coming. Unfortunately, Mother Earth hasn’t been very forthcoming in the reason why.”

“What do you mean,” she said turning so that she could look at me more fully.

I sat on the bed and replied, “When you think about it, it sorta makes sense. If you hadn’t banished her, she wouldn’t have been able to gain this much insight on humans. She told me that hardly anyone leaves pack territory, which means that you really wouldn’t have known what to do with us. You know, besides killing us all.”

“True.”

“In a weird twist of fate,” I said blushing slightly, “If we hadn’t met in that bar that night, we’d probably would have never gotten this far. Your people would have been dead because of the Harvest Moon and I don’t know what would have happened to mine. Then you take in the last job she did for the Coalition. If she hadn’t done it, there would have been no record of what the Ice Pack had been doing. You would have kept doing what you were doing and the Bear King would have more leverage on you. You would have never known that he has plans against your pack. You would have never known about the spies or the Western Border. You would have never known that Nyx had been telepathically manipulated.”

She sat there silently as she thought about what I’d said and her eyes widened in surprise and she said, “The Bear King sending the spy set into motion a series of events that has both hindered and helped me?”

I shrugged, “I guess so. It’s a chain reaction. Spy comes here to get rid of Nyx. You banish Nyx instead of executing her. She tries to kill herself and gets saved by Mother Earth. Nyx becomes an Enforcer everyone wants on their pay roll, including the Coalition. Hence, the job that contained vital information on you and the Forest Pack. You find out that she’s alive and well, so you hire her to find out why your teams have disappeared behind an impenetrable shield. And the rest is history.”

“Then you throw in our little weird shit in,” Dani said as she came up behind me and hugged me. “The five of us are bondmates and it just so happens that two of ‘em are lifemates. How crazy is that? And why?”

“Ya know, out of all of this,” Scarlett said as she stood at the foot of the bed, “That is probably the weirdest. I’ve hardly laid eyes on Clarke and I just want to lick her like a bowl of cream. No offense, honey.”

I looked over at her and smiled, “I can’t take offense if I want to return the favor.”

Her eyes widened in delight and she asked, “Is that an invite?”

“Possibly, but now’s not the time,” I said and turned my attention back to Nyx.

“You’re right,” she said. “This is definitely not the time. Her organs are starting to heal themselves, but I don’t know if a healing session will be enough to keep her from dying. I don’t know what she did, but I’ve never seen multiple organ failures happen this quickly and not be suffering from a disease.”

“Could it be self-inflicted,” Dani thought out loud.

“Now, why would you ask that?”

“We convinced her not to kill herself and she hasn’t made any more attempts since Clarke killed her and then brought her back to life. Now, though…it’s been nightmares every night, several times a night. Not eating or sleeping. Her moods swings had gotten violent. I’ve had to stop her from bashing her head in to get rid of the nightmares. Could she be doing this to herself to keep out the nightmares and not realize that it was killing her?”

“It’s possible, Dani, but I can’t really hazard a guess. It’s all mental for her and without a strong enough telepath, we can’t figure this out. The only thing we can do is try to keep her alive long enough for the search teams to find the woman.”

I looked at everyone and I knew that we were all feeling the same way. We were sick with worry. Dreading a day where her heart finally gives up and we lose a woman we all loved. I think, we also blamed ourselves in not seeing the signs that she needed more help than we could give her. I felt tears fall and I turned and cried on Dani. She just held me and I felt her take shuddering breaths to try to control her own emotions. There was some shuffling and we were soon being embraced by Scarlett and Lexa. All of us crying, mourning, blaming ourselves, hoping, praying.

The emotional drain was too much for me and I fell asleep in their arms. I woke up briefly when Dani picked me up and carried me to the bed. She took off my boots and tucked me in.

“I’m going to take Lexa and Scarlett to the compound, love,” she said quietly and kissed me. “I’ll be back soon.”

I nodded and felt sleep dragging me down into slumber.


	38. Lexa

The three of us left the room and headed out of the bunker. Lost in their thoughts, neither one of them spoke as we made our way to the compound. I was having thoughts of my own and they weren’t focused on Nyx. They were focused on Clarke. Dani had called us lifemates just from our reactions when we laid eyes on each other. I couldn’t understand the magnetic pull she had on me. I had found it extremely difficult to control myself around her. I wanted her and I wanted her like I had gone without sex for over a month. It was insane.

This was nothing like what Nyx and I had shared. This was so much more. I’d willingly lay down my life for Clarke. I wanted to claim her then and there in that room, but I couldn’t do that. She may be feeling the same way, but I wouldn’t do that without talking with Nyx about it. In all honesty, I had no idea how strong their bond was with one another. I could screw things up six ways to heaven if I didn’t.

Then, to find out that the five of us were bound to one another, anyway. It was unheard of to have a bond between that many people. I had felt my bonds with Nyx and Dani grow stronger when we became friends again and started sleeping with one another, which I expected. Then to find a bond between myself and Scarlett? Again, it was a first that I had heard of. A bond between different weres. I was surprised when Dani could feel it strongly enough to know that she was here too. I had felt another thin bond building shortly after Dani had arrived here. I didn’t understand it. Getting here, I found out that it was because Dani and Nyx were bonded with Clarke. That made the bond a bit stronger. It was so odd that there would be a bond there already in place before I’d ever met her or slept with her.

We had wandered into the compound while I’d been lost in thought and didn’t notice that we had gone straight to the suite that had been prepared for me. I didn’t come to my senses until I heard the click of the lock being turned. I looked up and around me in surprise and quirked an eyebrow at Scarlett who had been the one to lock the door.

“Okay,” she said. “We got some shit that needs to get figured out.”

“What shit is that,” Dani asked as she lounged on a couch.

“How is it that I knew exactly where to find y’all without asking directions, for starters,” she said as she took sat down on another couch.

Dani looked up at the ceiling in thought and then looked at her and said, “I think the night that all four of us slept together created a bond with you, Scar. Lexa, Nyx and I were already bonded and it strengthened that night. For whatever reason, you became bonded with us as well.”

“I did what now?”

“Scar,” I said. “I’ve already told you that the three of us make up the leadership of the pack. We grew up together. We eventually fell in love with one another and in that process, we bonded. When Nyx and I claimed each other, it made our bonds stronger. I don’t know about Dani, but I felt like Nyx was in the back of my head all of the time and I knew where Dani always was.”

“Yeah, the bonds did get stronger after your claiming,” Dani said. “And the bonds thinned out after Nyx was banished to the point that it was the barest of a connection. When she came home, the bonds strengthened again once we all made up and started sleeping with one another.”

“See, the thing is,” Scarlett said, “Is that I didn’t even know that there was even a bond. Nyx and I may have been frequent bed mates, but all I did was fall in love with her. I didn’t feel any kind of deeper connection than that, I don’t think.”

“It’s possible you did,” I said. “You just thought that maybe it was that your feelings for Nyx were a stronger love for her.”

“Huh,” she replied thoughtfully, “That’s possible. How is it that I didn’t even feel a bond between the three of you after that night?”

“Well,” I said, “does your pack even have bondmates?”

“Come to think of it, no, we don’t. This is honestly the first time I’ve heard of it.”

“That’s probably the answer. You just didn’t know that what you’ve been feeling are your bonds with us. So, when you got here, you didn’t realize that the reason why you could find us was because of the bond,” Dani said, stretching and making my eyes wander the length of her body in appreciation.

“Is there a reason why I have a really strong urge to jump into Clarke’s pants,” Scar asked leaning back and rubbing her face.

Looking at Dani, I saw her grin widely as she said, “Welcome to the club, Scar. I wanted to do the same damn thing as soon as I met her. It was really frustrating, and I mean _really_ frustrating, to hold myself back. Of course, I think I maybe lasted two weeks before I got so flustered, I up and kissed her.”

“You grabbed her, didn’t you,” I said with a smile, remembering the times she’d done the same thing to me.

Dani blushed, “Yeah, but I ran before I did anything more.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Scarlett said, shaking her in disbelief. “You _ran_ away? Just like that? Kiss and run?”

“Well, yeah,” she said defensively. “She’s a human mage that just came out of an underground bunker where she’s lived her entire life. Then to be exposed to our lifestyle. I didn’t want to risk their relationship by jumping her bones, alright?”

“But, you _have_ been sleeping with her,” I said, interested in what she would say.

“Um, yeah? I was surprised that she was the one who instigated it.”

“How’d that happen?”

“It was the first time she’d left the bunker since Nyx shifted back the second time. She decided that we needed to have a chat and brought me up to her room and warded the door. She wanted to make sure that I couldn’t run off again. Then one thing led to another.”

“Well, at least she was smart enough to corner you,” I said bemusedly. “We couldn’t do that after we claimed each other.”

Her face scrunched up in confusion and she asked, “Why would you have wanted to corner me?”

“We both wanted to claim you, too, knucklehead. We honestly thought that you weren’t ready or that you didn’t want to, so we never really pressed.”

She sat up and pressed her face in her hands and mumbled, “God, I was an idiot. I thought you didn’t want me that way, not the other way round.”

I chuckled, “We tried to talk to you about it constantly, but you always found something that needed your immediate attention and ran away.”

She looked at me over her hands and replied, “I thought you guys wanted to talk about the wedding or brag about the claiming.”

I shook my head, “No, sweetheart, that wasn’t it at all.”

“And then shit hit the fan and we had that big fallout.”

I nodded and replied sadly, “Yeah. I am sorry about that. I just didn’t want to talk about it or even think about it.”

“I know and I’m sorry I was pushing it so hard.”

“What’re you all gabbing about,” Scarlett asked.

“Nyx’s banishment,” I replied. “It was about two months after it. She saw how Gustus and his family were behaving and still maintained that there was no way that Nyx would have betrayed me like that or would’ve ever wanted to be de Pakstoka. I refused to listen and we got into a huge fight over it. We stopped seeing each other except in a professional manner.”

“So, what changed?”

“Nyx,” we both replied and laughed.

She smirked at us, “So, Nyx seems to be a constant in everyone’s lives. She just kinda draws you in, doesn’t she?”

“I honestly can’t say for sure,” I said thinking. “The three of us grew up together. Inseparable. But, when Nyx became of age, she had every woman after her. And I mean every woman. God, even my own mother. That was just creepy.”

“Seriously,” she said, leaning forward. “No wonder she could have her picks in the bar. And none of them ever got jealous of one another. Come to think of it, a lot of them became best friends.”

“That’s because she treated everyone she slept with like they were the only person in the world and that she was honored to bring them to bed. That they had allowed her to sleep with them,” said Dani. “When it came to sex, no one could get mad at her. Not even when she and Lexa started officially dating.”

“Damn.”

“Indeed. She was something back then,” I replied and then I remembered something else that had been bothering me. “Dani, why didn’t you stop Nyx when you found out that she was abusing Clarke?”

She looked at me guiltily, “I, I tried, Lex. When I saw the bruises on Clarke the first time, I confronted her about it and they both said that it was an accident. This was before she started punching the walls. After the third time, I took Clarke out of the room and warded the door to prevent her from going back, but they both went hysterical. Nyx tore up the room and Clarke...she, she threatened to make my heart stop, Lex, if I didn’t let her back in.”

I sat there stunned, “They forced your hand?”

Tears sprung up in her eyes and she replied, “I didn’t feel like I had a choice, Lex. Since I couldn’t stop her from being with Nyx, I did the best that I could by keeping her out of the room as much as I could. After the failed ward, I stopped seeing bruises on Clarke, but I don’t know if it actually stopped. I’m sorry I failed.”

“Oh, hun,” Scarlett said, getting up and pulling her into an embrace, making Dani’s tears start falling more freely. “You did the best that you could under the circumstances.”

I felt Dani’s anguish and I couldn’t fault her for keeping it a secret, not when threatened like she had been.

I sighed and said, “I agree with Scarlett, Dani. You did the best that you could and I’m not mad at you for keeping this from everyone. I want to be mad because Nyx broke the law, but given the circumstances I just don’t know what to do about it.”

She nodded in understanding and replied, sniffling, “Thank you.”

Dani stiffened suddenly, and then I felt it, too. Our bond with Nyx flickered out.

“No,” I cried out and headed straight out of the room, followed quickly by Dani and Scarlett.

We ran out of the house and as soon as we were outside the gates, shifted and ran straight for the bunker and to her room. We shifted back, still running and filed into the room to find Clarke on the floor sobbing next to Nyx’s bed. Dani went straight for Clarke and pulled her close as Scarlett headed to the monitors. I followed Scarlett and stood by impatiently.

“She’s alive, barely,” Scarlett said with a sadness tinged voice.

“Clarke,” Dani said softly and we joined them, huddling around. “What happened, baby?”

She took a shuddering breath in and out and said, “I was asleep and I suddenly woke up because I felt something was wrong. Then I heard it. The heart monitor was emitting the flatline noise. So, I got up and she, she wasn’t breathing and I, I couldn’t find a pulse. I was so scared that I did the only thing I could do. I shocked her heart a couple of times to get it beating again. She was just so still. So very still.”

Scarlett got back up and laid her hands on Nyx and closed her eyes. When she opened them again and saw me looking at her, she shook her head.

_She needs to be on life support, Lexa, if we’re to heal her. Her body can’t support the strain on its own_ , Scarlett said.

I nodded and relayed the message to Dani. Dani handed Clarke over to me and I gasped as an electric shock skittered across my body. I swallowed thickly at the feel and focused on comforting Clarke. Even she had let out a small gasp and looked up at me in wonderment. I smiled slightly and she returned it.

Dani got up and stepped outside to call the healers. When she came back in, she pulled Scarlett close to her and sat down with us as we waited.

“They’re coming,” she said quietly. “Clarke, they’re going to put her on life support and see if that helps.”

She nodded against me and said, “I figured. Her body can’t handle it anymore. I can feel her, though it seems to be growing fainter.”

“We can all feel that,” I said. “We felt it when we were at the compound. That’s why we came running.”

“That’s good,” she replied. “I was about to call Dani when you came in.”

The door opened suddenly and people entered quickly with the machines. We got up and moved to the side of the room where Clarke and Dani had been sleeping. Without saying anything, we all got up on the bed and supported one another while we looked on. Even though we watched on in muted horror, I couldn’t help noticing how Clarke’s body seemed to mold with mine or how good it felt to touch her. I wanted to do more than just hold her. I glanced over at Dani and Scarlett and could see that they were restraining themselves as well. Whoever or whatever Clarke was, she made us feel more than we had ever felt among ourselves. This need to protect, love, cherish, support, defend, was overpowering. I took a chance and kissed her on the top of her head. She sighed and snuggled deeper into me. Whatever else happened today, we weren’t going to let her be alone.

One of the healers came over to us and asked, “Clarke, did you restart her heart?”

Clarke looked up and nodded, “Yeah, Mom, I did. I panicked. I’m sorry.”

Her mom smiled wanly and replied, “Don’t be sorry, honey. You did good. We’ve got her on life support and Jackson and I have given her another healing session. It’s drained us both.”

“Thank you, Abby,” Dani said. “If you don’t mind, can you bring another mattress, blankets and pillows down here. None of us are leaving here tonight.”

She nodded, “Of course. I suspected as much. I’ll have the compound chef set up a meal for you all and have that sent down as well.”

“Thank you,” she replied. “Make sure that you and Jackson eat and rest for what’s left of the day. We can’t have our healers hurting themselves because they forgot their own limits.”

She smiled and said, “Thank you for the reminder, Dani. Just take care of one another.”

“We will,” I said and Abby nodded at me.

The medical staff left and closed the door softly behind them. We were silent as we listened to the soft shush of the ventilator.

“Thank you, guys, for staying here with me,” Clarke said as she straightened up a little.

“Oh, Clarke, honey. We’d never leave you alone to deal with something like this,” Scarlett said as she touched her hand.

Nearly all of us gasped at the same time as Scarlett connected all of us. We looked at each other and the look of identically stunned faces made us all take a deep breath.

“What? What just happened,” Clarke asked, still holding onto Scarlett.

I swallowed thickly and said, “I don’t know. Dani?”

“Don’t look to me,” she said, awed. “I have no idea and I know Scarlett doesn’t either.”

“No, I do not,” she replied shaking her head.

“I wonder,” Clarke said, thinking, and still holding onto Scarlett’s hand, reached up and kissed me gently.

I felt a surge of desire sweep through me and could have sworn that it flowed through all of us. When we parted, I glanced over at the other two and their eyes were hooded and Dani’s hand was creeping up Scarlett’s chest to cradle her breast. Scarlett turned her head and kissed Dani, sending another wave of desire course through us, making me moan in pleasure. This time, I kissed Clarke and the feeling intensified. 

We didn’t get to explore more of whatever that was because there was a knock on the door. Dani got up and answered it, leaving me with a hollow feeling. It was the staff bringing another mattress and blankets and pillows in. They laid the mattress near us and piled the blankets on top. Dani thanked them, locked the door and we got up and pulled the mattress from bed next to the other one. Then Dani rolled the bed frame out the door and off to the side. Without saying a word, we made up the bed and laid down on it, touching one another. Clarke scooted over to Scarlett and kissed her as Dani and I kissed. We began kissing one another, our hands never leaving our bodies as wave upon wave of desire built and we eventually tumbled over into the abyss.


	39. Clarke

I woke up surrounded by warm bodies and a weird vibrating sound. I listened closely and could hear the sound of a cat purring, which meant that Scarlett was a werecat of some sort. But, it was the sound coming from Dani and Lexa that was throwing me off. It was like their wolves were purring, too. It was the same sound and feeling as what I had felt from Nyx when she’d first shifted back. I lay there listening and felt my body relaxing underneath the vibrations and sound. If I had to guess why they were making the noise, I’d say that it was because of utter contentment. It made me feel closer to all of them and in turn strengthening whatever it was between the five of us. I turned over to look at Nyx’s bed and was surprised to see an old woman standing at the foot of her bed. She somehow sensed me looking at her and turned her head to look back at me. When I looked into her eyes, I immediately felt awed and loved beyond words or feelings. She smiled and laid a finger across her lips telling me to keep quiet. I nodded and then felt suddenly drowsy. I laid back down and was asleep again.

The next time I woke up it was to the feeling of someone kissing my neck as a hand caressed my breasts and two more ran lightly over my body, eliciting a moan of pleasure. I opened my eyes and Dani was mere inches from me, she grinned when she saw me awake and leaned in to kiss me. Desire coursed through me again and somehow time was once more lost.

We didn’t fall asleep this time around, but we all laid languidly on the mattresses, constantly touching one another. It’s like we were all making sure that what happened between us was real. 

I heard the distinct sound of a communicator and raised up on my elbows to see where it was coming from. Scarlett found it lying buried in the clothes behind her and handed it over.

I sat up and answered, “Yes?”

“Clarke, good you’re up,” Mom said.

“Yeah, what’s up,” I asked perplexed.

“Could you go and check Nyx’s vitals and body scans for me?”

“Of course,” I said as I slowly got up and stepped over Lexa’s hip. “Why am I doing this?”

“My monitors are showing something that isn’t making sense. I need you to verify if what I’m seeing is what I’m seeing.”

“Sure,” I said and walked over to the monitors.

Her heart rate had improved and her body scans seemed to show vast improvement of the organs. I looked at it perplexed.

“Hey, Scarlett,” I called out. “Can you come take a look at this? I want to make sure I’m reading these right.”

“Alright, sugah,” she drawled out and joined me shortly. “That can’t be right.”

I looked over at her and said, “So, I am seeing what I’m seeing?”

“Her organs are over 50% healed,” she said, clearly as perplexed as my mother and I.

“Mom, did you hear that,” I asked into the communicator.

“I did,” she replied. “I don’t understand. None of us have seemed to make a dent in healing her organs and now suddenly, they’re healing at an accelerated pace.”

“What do you mean accelerated,” Scarlett asked.

“This happened maybe five hours ago. Did you do anything special?”

We all looked at one another and blushed and I said, “Um, no Mom, nothing special. We just all took a nap.”

“Oh,” she said suspiciously, which made Dani chortle.

I glared at Dani and then asked, “Do we need to be worried, Mom?”

“I don’t know, sweetheart. I think for right now, I’ll keep a close eye on her body scans. This is highly unusual.”

“Alright,” I said. “I guess, I’ll check in with you later?”

“Yes, please do,” she said and hung up.

I set the communicator down on a table and sat back down on the mattresses. Everyone else joined me too and made themselves comfortable. Which was weird since we were still naked and I was completely comfortable with it. I shook my head, dispelling that thought and focused on what happened with Nyx. Suddenly, I shot up as I remembered something.

“Shit,” I said, startling everyone.

“What,” Lexa asked.

“Something did happen. Well, two somethings happened really,” I said with a small smile.

“Tell,” Dani said as she leaned forward and placed her chin on Scarlett’s shoulder.

“Um, how can I say this,” I said, blushing slightly, “But, I, uh, woke up earlier to y’all purring.”

“You mean, Scarlett’s purring,” Dani said.

I shook my head, “No. All three of you were purring. Well, sorta. Scarlett was definitely purring like a cat, but the two of you were doing a wolf version of purring. Like a low gentle rumble. I’ve heard Nyx do it, too. She didn’t know that she was doing it. And I guess, you didn’t either.”

Scarlett chuckled, “A wolf purring? That is definitely something. I’m sorry I missed it.”

“It’s something alright,” I said remembering the sensations it had evoked, making me smile. 

“You said, that something else happened,” Lexa asked.

“Oh, yeah. After that pleasant wake up, I looked over at Nyx and saw an old woman standing at the foot of her bed. It was weird. When she caught me staring at her, I felt completely awed and Loved. She smiled at me and then laid a finger on her lips to keep me quiet. Then I fell back asleep.”

“An old woman,” Lexa asked. “Had you ever seen her before?”

I looked down at her and said, “No. Never. I don’t remember any features, only the fact that she was an old woman.”

“You don’t think…” Dani started to say.

Scarlett glanced up at her and finished, “That it was Mother Earth healing her?”

“Wait,” I said holding up a hand, “I thought she only ever appeared to weres not mages?”

“That’s the story,” Lexa said as her arm tightened around my waist, pulling me closer. “If you saw her and then immediately fell asleep, I’d say that you did see Mother Earth.”

“And if that’s the case,” Dani said, intrigued, “she healed Nyx enough to stay alive and heal with the help of healers.”

“Which means, she will live,” Scarlett finished, hope rising in her voice.

“I’ll be damned,” I whispered.

“I don’t think you’ve been damned, _niron_ ,” Dani said with a smirk. “I think you’ve just been blessed.”

I crossed my arms, “Well, that’s just great. Bonded to the four of you, lifemated to this one here,” I nodded my head at Lexa who smiled up at me, “and I’ve just been blessed by Mother Earth. What the fuck is going on?”

“Wish I knew,” Lexa said as she kissed me right above my hip and making me close my eyes. “I think it’s safe to say that none of us know what’s going on and we’re just rolling where the wind takes us.”

I sighed happily as Lexa continued to kiss upwards along my side when my eyes snapped open to hearing the wolf purr again. Lexa had stopped what she was doing and Dani and Scarlett looked at me wide eyed. We slowly got up on our knees and looked over at Nyx. She was still in the coma, but we could all hear her purring.

“Is that what you heard,” Dani whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my back.

“Yeah,” I whispered back. “I think it’s because she content, like really happy.”

“That is the damnedest thing I’ve ever heard,” Scarlett whispered.

“I’m afraid to move,” Lexa said. “What could have caused it?”

“I think it’s because she can feel all four of us now more strongly,” I said. “We’re all connected now. The five of us.”

“And she couldn’t before because she was dying?”

“Yeah.”

“Holy shit,” Dani said as she leaned back. “This is unbelievable.”

“It’s incredible,” Lexa said. “We purr when we’re happy.”

“Do you purr, Clarke,” Dani asked with a wicked gleam in her eye.

“I don’t think so,” I said with a grin. “That would be really weird. The only thing I’ve been known to do is hum when I’m happy. I’m usually awake though.”

“Hum?”

“Yes, hum, when I’m awake.”

The communicator beeped again and I got up to answer it.

“Now what,” I said as I answered, “Yes?”

“It’s about damn time, Clarke,” Sephy said.

I quirked an eyebrow at the others, but they only shook their heads.

“What do you mean, Sephy,” I asked, perplexed.

“I know what you’ve been up to,” she said, annoyed.

“What I’ve been up to?”

“Oh, cut the crap,” she said, exasperated. “Freaking having sex while my sister’s in a damn coma _and_ on life support. That’s just, like, wrong on so many levels.”

Dani burst out laughing and Scarlett smacked her upside the head which made Lexa laugh. I could only shake my head at their antics.

“Um, sorry,” I apologized, shrugging my shoulders. “It kind of just happened?”

“Whatever,” she said. “Look, if y’all are done playing around down there, would you like me to send some food?”

At the mention of food, my stomach growled loudly drawing stares from everyone, and I blushed in embarrassment.

I cleared my throat and said, “Food would be lovely, Sephy. Thank you.”

She harrumphed and said, “Fine. The food will be there shortly. And stop having sex around my sister. Especially, since she can’t join in.”

“Um, sure, I think we can do that,” I said and then mouthed, “Can we?”

The all shrugged and left me bumbling.

“Great,” she said, automatically more cheerful. “How’s Nyx doing? I saw everyone running out of the compound.”

“Well, we had a bit of a scare,” I said, truthfully. “She stopped breathing and her heart stopped, but I got it going again. And a few hours ago, she showed an accelerated healing of her organs. We think she’s going to be okay, but she’s still on life support and in a coma.”

“And you didn’t tell me!”

“I’m sorry,” I quickly apologized. “The reason they ran out is because they knew something had happened to Nyx through their bonds with her.”

“Wait. Bonds?”

I sighed, “Yes, bonds. We’re all bonded to one another. That’s why we didn’t call you. We were discussing the bonds and then one thing led to another and you know what happened.”

“So, the sex was cementing the bonds?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, okay, then,” she said, totally relaxed then and making me look at the communicator in surprise.

“Hold up,” I said in indignation. “You’re okay now with having sex next to your sister?”

“It was a bond confirmation, duh. Of course, I’m okay with it.”

“Okay, then. Um, have you sent the food yet?”

“Yep, it’s on its way. I’ll let you go now, but promise me if there are any changes, you’ll let me know immediately,” she demanded. 

“Sure, sure. No problem,” I squeaked out. “You’ll be the first to know.”

“Okay, bye.”

“Um, Bye,” I said and placed the communicator closer to us, so we wouldn’t have to get up again.

“I am so confused,” I said, laying my head in my hands. “First she gets mad at us for having sex in the same room as Nyx. Then I tell her that we’re bondmates and suddenly she’s okay with it. What kind of pack are you guys?”

“Apparently, a lot more open minded than I thought,” Lexa said chuckling. “Either that or Seph is way more worldly than her mother gives her credit for.”

“Y’all are weird,” Scarlett said, as she stretched bringing her firm breasts to the forefront of everyone’s attention. “Freakin’ hedonistic wolves.”

“Hey,” Dani said indignantly, “We’re more than just the sex, Scar.”

Scarlett leaned down and kissed Dani and replied, “I know you are, hon. But that doesn’t change the fact that y’all are a weird pack.”

“Take that back,” Dani growled low and flipped them both until she had Scarlett pinned beneath her.

There was a gleam of mischief in Scarlett’s eyes and she said, “No. So, what you gonna do about it?”

Dani growled and Scarlett hissed and suddenly they were wrestling one another. Lexa and I quickly got away and put on some clothes as we watched them go at it.

“Should we stop them,” I asked her as Dani yowled in pain after Scarlett bit her on the arm.

Lexa chuckled, “No. This is good for them. Let them have their fun.”

“Bitch,” Scarlett yelled after Dani pulled her hair hard.

I couldn’t help but laugh and couldn’t take my eyes off of them. A few minutes later there was a knock on the door and I answered it. It was Cora, one of Lexa’s pack members. 

She looked at me wide eyed from the noise in the room and said, “Is everything alright?”

I glanced over my shoulder at them and said with a smile, “Yeah, it’s all good. They’re just letting off some steam.”

“Oh, okay, if you say so,” she said quietly and held out the basket of food. “Here’s the food Persephone promised.”

“Thanks, Cora,” I said and took the basket from her.

“Are you sure, everything’s okay?”

“Stay on that side of the room,” Lexa bellowed when I heard a crash coming from directly behind me.

I smiled weakly and reassured her as best as I could. She took one more worried glance in my direction and then headed back to the compound. I closed the door behind me and locked it. The food smelled delicious.

“Hey,” I yelled to be heard over their screeching, “if you want to eat, knock it off.”

They immediately stopped and sat down breathlessly. 

“Better,” I said and sat down with the basket between us. I pulled out a platter of meat and a smaller one of fish. I handed that one to Scarlett. I pulled out containers of freshly steamed vegetables and fruit. Took out bowls and plates, utensils, napkins and a bottle of juice.

Lexa thoughtfully cooked my meat as Dani dished out the vegetables. They bowed their heads briefly and we began to eat.

“Why did you bow your heads before eating,” I asked after taking a bite of my steak.

“Oh,” Lexa said, slightly startled. “We were just giving thanks to Mother Earth for continuing to provide us with food.”

“Ah,” I said, understanding.

Dani shrugged, “We do it automatically and most of the time we don’t notice.”

“We didn’t offend you, did we,” Lexa asked concerned.

“Oh, no, you didn’t,” I said hurriedly. “It’s just that we didn’t really have any religion, period, in the bunker. So, I was just curious.”

She nodded in understanding, “Good. Thank you for understanding.”

I grinned and kissed her gently, “Your welcome. It’s refreshing, really. If we considered anything religious it would be empirical facts.”

“I guess to each his own,” Dani said and took a swig of the juice.

“To each his own,” Scarlett echoed and took a drink from the bottle.

She handed it to me and I took a drink and passed it on to Lexa who then passed it back to Dani after taking a drink of her own.

We finished eating in companionable silence and then lounged around as we got to know each other better. It was weird how comfortable I felt around them and how loved. Lexa naturally wrapped her arms around me and I leaned back against her, melding my body with hers while Dani and Scarlett did the same. After the stress of the day, I soon fell asleep in Lexa’s arms and didn’t wake until my body said it was time. 

I woke up to Lexa’s soft breathing on my neck and opened my eyes to Scarlett looking at me in wonder. I reached out and gently stroked her face and made her eyes close in pleasure. She reached up and held my hand to her face and smiled at me.

“Mornin’, darlin’,” she said softly.

“Morning,” I replied, smiling at her.

She took my hand and gently kissed my palm, sending shivers down my arm and making me close my eyes in the feeling. Without meaning to, I sent a small wave of lightning to my hand and she moaned at the sensation. I chuckled and leaned in to kiss her as my hand continued to travel downward to her waist. She gently pulled me closer to her so she didn’t wake Lexa. I let her and we kissed as time moved forward. I tucked my head underneath her chin as I felt her begin to purr.

“You’re easy to please,” I said quietly.

“Not normally,” she chuckled, but continued to purr. “Only with you and Lexa does it come naturally.”

“Hmm,” I said and kissed her neck.

“Don’t stop, please,” she whispered.

So, I didn’t and pulled her underneath me. We made love quietly and then lay in each other’s arms while we caught our breath.

“It amazes me how comfortable you are with all of this,” she said, drawing my attention.

I leaned up and looked at her, “Sometimes, I am too. But it feels natural. I don’t know why it does. It took me a little bit of time to understand it all, but it helped that Nyx told me over and over again that it was okay and encouraged me to open myself more to the idea of this.”

“Nyx is one hell of a gal.”

“She is. We’re lucky to have her in our lives.”

“Indeed we are,” Lexa said sleepily behind me. “Clarke, you’re naked.”

“I am,” I replied as I looked at her over my shoulder and saw that she was still clothed. “You’re not though. It’s a shame really, you have a beautiful body.”

She smiled and began to undress. When she was naked, I turned and pulled her down to me and kissed her.

“Much better,” I whispered against her neck and kissed her there.

She let out a soft moan and I continued my downward travel. Scarlett scooted closer and began kissing my back making me moan. Soon, the three of us were lost in each other as we explored our bodies with mouth and hands. I heard Dani grumble from her side of the bed about being left out, making us chuckle, but Scarlett turned her grumbles into moans of pleasure. 

We slept for a few more hours and I woke up to this niggling feeling in the back of my head. It was coming from Nyx. I wrapped a sheet around my body and went over to check on her. She was struggling to breathe, like she was fighting the incubator. Concerned, I woke Scarlett up and showed her.

“It looks like she’s trying to breathe on her own, Clarke,” she said and checked on the body scans. “Let me get this out of her and see how she does.”

I nodded and Scarlett gently pulled it out. When she did, Nyx took a huge gasp of air and started to breathe normally.

“Well, hell’s belles,” she said and we continued to monitor her breathing for a bit.

“She’s getting better,” I said, looking at the scans. “Her organs are nearly completely healed, Scar.”

“So, they are,” she replied. “We still can’t bring her out of the coma, though. She may have been responding to us positively yesterday, but I can’t guess how’ll she respond if we wake her up.”

I nodded, “We need that telepath here.”

“Ask and Mother Earth will provide the answer,” Lexa said, sitting up and stretching. “One of the search teams found her. Apparently, she was waiting for them when they woke up this morning. They’ll be here this afternoon.”

“That’s great,” I said, hope filling my chest. “Do you think it’s safe enough to head to the compound? I need a shower and coffee.”

“It should be,” Scarlett replied. “They’re monitoring her vitals and body scans so if anything happens they’ll let us know through the communicator.”

I grinned at her and started dressing. Everyone else got dressed and we left the room. 

We all decided to shower alone and I was grateful of the respite. As much as I loved them, you can only be around people constantly for so long. I needed a bit of alone time to think about what everything meant. How I was so accepting of the bonds. Though, I was concerned about the whole lifemate thing with Lexa. It seemed unreal that something had already decided who I was going to spend the rest of my life with. I’d barely been out of the bunker and my whole life had merrily turned upside down and sideways.

I was even beginning to suspect that meeting Nyx at the bar wasn’t coincidental. I just so happened into a bar that she frequents and we just happened to end up back at her hotel room. Where she just let’s me stay there until we left. To find out that she just so happens to have ties with the leader of the Forest Pack. Who just so happens to hire her to help resolve the situation we’d found ourselves in. And we just so happen to become lovers. And on and on, until I found myself here, bonded to four women and a lifemate to one of them.

If I drag Nyx’s past into the mix, it makes it harder and harder not to see what’s happened as anything other then being planned out. That it was meant to be, but the question that we wanted answered was: why? Why draw us all together? Why have Nyx suffer the way she has been? Why did some of my people become Apex? What’s the reason? The real reason of why this was happening. But none of us had a clue and we could only suffer through this as best we could.

I got out of the shower, my mind still whirling around the why of everything, and got dressed. I sighed as I combed my hair out, looking at myself in the mirror. What I saw in the mirror was no more than a young woman. Not some leader of mages or a council. Not someone bonded to four incredible women. Not someone destined to spend the rest of her life with the leader of the Forest Pack. I saw none of that in the woman that looked back at me. And yet, that was who I was. I was all of these things, but I hadn’t lost any of myself to them. In fact, it seemed to enhance the person I strived to be. It made me better. Made me want to do better. To be worthy of all that had come to be. I found strength in that.

There was a knock on the door and I answered it.

“Octavia,” I said bewildered. “Is everything alright?”

I opened the door further to let her in and she came and sat in the chair by my desk.

“I’m not sure,” Octavia said.

I sat on the bed and looking at her said, “Why aren’t you sure?”

“I did something and I don’t know how certain people will react,” she said quietly.

Concerned, I asked, “What did you do?”

“Um, I had sex with Lincoln,” she said and cringed expecting an outburst from me. When I didn’t, she looked up at me surprised and said, “Wait, why aren’t you mad at me?”

“Why would I be,” I asked. “So, you had sex with Lincoln. That’s way more mild than what’s happened to me.”

“What? More mild than what you’ve been through? I don’t understand,” she said shaking her head, “I had sex with the man that created this mess we’re currently in.”

I sighed and thought about it before I answered, “We believe that Lincoln had no intention of ever causing what happened to happen. We understand that what he went through was tragic and he had every right to be leery of following Nyx’s command. Over the course of several conversations and inquiries, we believe that he was telepathically manipulated to cause this by the woman who manipulated Nyx into killing her own people.”

“So, none of you are mad or upset with him over this?”

I shook my head, “No. We’ve all given him our piece of mind in regards to it. He’s been remorseful ever since it happened and he’s taken his punishment without a fuss. Therefore, justice has been served.”

“Does this mean that I don’t have to hide my feelings for him from anyone?”

“You can be open about your feelings for Lincoln,” I said with a smile. “Just be honest with Indra when you tell her, since he is part of her pack. If it gets more serious, the three of you will have to have a longer conversation. Until that time, enjoy yourself and let the relationship grow or dwindle. Just remember that you are the Manassas _Pakstoka_ , which means you have to be careful of who you choose to be with. Do you love him?”

She nodded, “I think I do.”

I chuckled, “If you only think so, then you haven’t been together long enough to find out for sure. Which is a good thing. You’re taking your time and figuring it out. That’s what having a normal relationship is about. But, don’t do anything you’re not comfortable in doing, O. Don’t let him pressure you. I’m serious. If that happens, drop him like a bad habit.”

She smiled and then it faded, “What do I tell Bellamy? He’s gonna kill me if he finds out or Lincoln.”

I made a face and said, “Bellamy is going to be Bellamy. He’s going to want to protect you and keep you from dating or having sex, but you are a grown woman and you don’t have to listen to him if you don’t want to. I got the third degree from him when he found out about me and Nyx. It was so frustrating that I nearly made a big mistake that would’ve cost me her. So, no matter what he says, don’t try and prove him wrong in an over the top gesture. Just show him how the two of you interact with one another. He’ll get it through his head that he has nothing to worry about.”

She got up and hugged me tight and said, “Thank you for being so understanding, Clarke. Now, what was it about my situation being milder than yours?”

I cleared my throat and blushed, “You better sit down for this one, O.”

She did and replied, “Oh God, what happened?”

I rubbed the back of my neck and said, “Okay, you know that Nyx and I have been an item, right?”

She nodded, but didn’t say anything.

“Um, well, shortly after Dani got here, I started sleeping with her. With Nyx’s support.”

“Wait, you’re kidding, right,” she said as she leaned back in the chair.

“Um, no. The Forest Pack is very open minded when it comes to sex with multiple partners and what not. They don’t get jealous, like ever, I don’t think.”

“Okay,” she said shaking her head in disbelief. “So, you’re sleeping with two women.”

“Heh, it’s not just with two women, O. I’ve started sleeping with Lexa and Scarlett, too,” I told her, blushing redder.

“You have really got to be pulling my leg, now, Clarke,” she said with wide eyes.

“No, not really. I’m not sure if anyone has told you this, but in this pack there is something called a bondmate. It’s a deeper connection to someone that goes beyond claiming and before you ask, you don’t necessarily have to claim the person you’re bonded to. It builds a deeper telepathic connection between bondmates. Anyway, when I slept with Dani, I found out that I was bonded with her and Nyx. She also told me that she and Nyx were bonded with Lexa.”

“Does that mean you guys are pretty much connected with one another for life?”

“It does,” I said nodding my head. “It makes our relationships stronger with one another. The more time we spend together, the stronger the bond. To get this story on, Dani felt when Lexa and Scarlett come into the bunker because of the bond and found out that she was also somehow bonded with Scarlett. Apparently, the night before Nyx came here, they had a wild night and created that bond with Scarlett.”

“Wait, you’re saying that having sex with someone can create a bond?”

“Yes. For me, it’s a bit harder to tell. I actually have to kind of look for it to know that it’s there. It’s not the case with weres. It’s like a you’re in the middle of a web or a line and you can feel tension on the other end. The more bondmates you have, the more lines radiate from you.”

“Okay, I understand that, but you’re not done, are you?”

“Not yet, no,” I said sheepishly. “When they were here yesterday they felt something and knew something was wrong with Nyx. That’s why they ran out of here like the devil was chasing them. They felt her die and then felt her brought back by me. But let me back up for a minute. When I first laid eyes on Lexa, it literally felt like I was frozen in time and there was such a magnetic pull to her, that I couldn’t comprehend what was going on. Somehow, Dani knew that it was a different kind of bond. One even rarer. When Lexa saw me, she had the same kind of reaction. Dani put two and two together and figured out that we’re lifemates. We’re literally meant to spend the rest of our lives together, like fated.”

“What exactly are you telling me, Clarke,” she asked very confused.

“What I’m trying to say is that I’m bonded to Nyx, Dani, Scarlett, and Lexa. Lifemated to Lexa. For whatever reason, we’re all meant to be together in a really weird harem sort of thing.”

“Does your mother know?”

I reeled back and said, “God, no! I’m still wrapping my own mind around it. Mom would have a heart attack if she knew that her only daughter was having intimate relations with four women. Then to throw in trying to explain the bonds and lifemate, that’s just adding the fuel to the fire. She’ll think I’ve gone crazy.”

“You’re right,” she replied, chuckling. “No way would your mom be able to handle this right now. I guess you’re in the same boat as me, let her see how the five of you are together and let her get used to it.”

“Exactly. Now, do you see what I meant your issue was milder than mine.”

“Yeah, I do. Wait, how does that even work? Can mages even claim a were?”

“We can. Instead of a bite mark, we brand them. Where as when two mages decided to live with one another for life, it’s the typical marriage.”

“Um, where do weres typically bite in a claiming?”

“Nyx said it was typically where the neck and shoulder meet. Why?”

“Um, like this,” she said and pulled her shirt down to expose that area and definitely showed a bite mark.

“Yeah, but the question I have to ask is if Lincoln, I’m assuming it’s Lincoln, bears a similar mark.”

“It’s Lincoln’s and I’m not sure, honestly, if I did it.”

I let out a deep sigh and said, “Then you’d better find out quick. If you did, you claimed one another which means that you’ve essentially married him. If you didn’t, talk to Dani and see if it can be removed if you don’t want to claim him.”

“He doesn’t and he didn’t realize that he did it. He also says that a healer can remove the mark if I’m not ready or don’t want to claim him at all.”

“Good. Then go find Scarlett or Jackson. They’ll do it for you without asking questions.”

“Good,” she said sighing in relief, “because I am so not ready for that type of commitment.”

I smiled, “I’m glad to hear it. Neither am I. Let’s get our messes cleaned up before we even decide to decide.”

She smiled gratefully at me and said, “That sounds like an excellent plan. Thank you for listening and being okay with it.”

I got up and hugged her, “Of course, O. I’m always here for you.”

“Thanks,” she said hugging me tightly. “I think I better go and find Scarlett. She seems to be the more reasonable choice.”

“She’s here somewhere,” I replied, “Just be prepared that there might be some teasing.”

She groaned and replied, “I’d rather have teasing than lectures.”

“That’s my girl. Now, I’m off to find me the biggest cup of coffee I can. We’re expecting the telepath sometime this afternoon. I got a feeling, I’m going to need my energy.”

She smiled slyly and said, “I’m sure you do if you’ve been involved with three women lately.”

“Hush,” I said as we walked out of my bedroom.

We parted at the stairs and I headed into the kitchen. I grabbed the biggest mug I could find and made my coffee. I was leaning against the french doors when I heard someone come into the kitchen. I looked up at the reflection and saw that it was Lexa. I was suddenly nervous, this was the first time that we had been alone together and I was suddenly tongue tied. 

“You know,” Lexa said quietly. “Nyx does that, too.”

“Does what,” I asked, turning around to look at her.

“Before our council meetings,” she explained. “She would often lean against the french doors in the council room as she waited for the meeting to begin. I think she enjoyed watching the landscape, help center herself.”

“It can be rather calming to watch nature. There’s a balance there between life and death. Where the flora and fauna are only concerned with existing without all of the pressures that come into our lives.”

“We have life and death, too,” she said as she came to stand beside me. “Isn’t that a balance?”

“It is,” I said, looking into her eyes, “But there’s more to it than that. We have many balances that we have to be aware of. Hate and Love. Peace and War. Wealth and Poverty. Lies and Truth. Power. These are the things we worry about and try to find a way to keep those balanced. Sometimes we succeed and other times we fail. And no matter which way the dice rolls, not everyone will be happy with the outcome. So, we have to learn from everything and try to make better choices next time. Give and take.”

“No wonder you’re a leader here, Clarke,” she said with a small smile. “If that’s how you approach what comes you’re way, you were born to do this.”

“Maybe,” I said carefully, “Though a leader is only as strong as the people behind them. The ones who believe in them and don’t necessarily follow blindly. The ones who can be honest with their chosen leader, are the ones you want to maintain. Because those are the ones who will challenge you to do better and support you when you fall.”

“I’ve seen your council and I believe that you have that.”

“I like to think so. You’ve got some pretty good ones behind you, as well.”

“Now, I do,” she said ruefully. “I nearly destroyed my people.”

I laid a hand on her arm and surprised by the shock, I said, “You didn’t nearly destroy them. You were able to catch it in time before it became irreversible. Even if it took getting Nyx back here to find it. You’re people are forgiving. Take comfort in that.”

She laid a hand over mine and said, “Thank you.”

I smiled, “Your welcome.”

“Can I ask you something,” she asked shyly.

“Sure.”

“What do you think about finding out that we’re lifemates?”

“Honestly, I don’t know,” I said careful of her feelings. “There is definitely something that is much stronger than my bond with the others, I’m not denying it. It’s more like I have to get used to such a foreign concept. You have to remember that I didn’t grow up in this world. Every experience I’ve had has been new and a little bit frightening. It’s because of my conversations with Nyx that I’m comfortable with loving four women. I know that it’s a natural thing and I shouldn’t be embarrassed or feel ashamed about it. I can tell you, that even though I barely know you, I’m in love with you.”

“You are,” she asked bewildered.

I nodded and set my coffee down on the counter and took her in my arms, “I am,” and kissed her.

Her arms wrapped me up in an embrace and she kissed me more deeply. I felt the bond between us grow deeper the more we kissed and something in me relished the bond. It seemed like forever that we stood there kissing before it finally ended, but I didn’t let go of her.

“Did you feel that,” she asked breathlessly.

“I did. Our bond grew stronger,” I answered her with a smile.

“Maybe we are meant to be together,” she said and brought her lips back to mine.

She backed me up to the counter and braced us with her arm on it, as we continued to kiss. The desire to have her was building and our kisses became more frantic. We had to stop though, when Lexa heard footsteps near. We parted reluctantly and she handed me my coffee after having warmed it up for me. I smiled in thanks and took a large sip as I calmed my racing heart and tempered down my desire. 

“Did you know your girl, Octavia, was claimed,” Scarlett said as she came into the kitchen.

“I did,” I replied, nodding. “Who do you think sent her to you. Lincoln accidentally claimed her, but luckily she didn’t respond in kind.”

Lexa looked at me sharply and asked, “She’s seeing Lincoln?”

“Yeah. I didn’t see a problem with the two of them having a relationship after everything we’ve learned. Was I wrong?”

“Yes, I mean, no,” she said slightly flustered, “No. There’s no problem. I’m just surprised at the news.”

“If you want my opinion,” Scarlett said as she made her own cup. “There’s no harm in it if he really wasn’t at fault. Just like you can’t really fault Nyx for what happened on the border eight years ago.”

“You’re right, but we honestly don’t know if he was manipulated,” she countered. 

“Even so, you should give him the benefit of a doubt. Maybe your telepath can look deeper in his mind when she has a chance.”

Lexa nodded, “I think that’s a good idea. I’ll ask her when she’s done with Nyx.”

Sephy came striding in quickly and when she saw us, she said, “Good, the two of you are both here. You need to see something.”

Lexa and I looked at one another in confusion, but followed Sephy to the office quickly.

“What’s the matter, Seph,” Lexa asked as we walked over to the desk.

“We finally caught something of interest,” Sephy said as she rolled back footage. 

“Where’s the footage coming from,” I asked as I leaned in close.

“Jaha.”

I looked up at her in surprise and she nodded slightly. When she got to the place she wanted to start she hit play. It was a conversation between Jaha and the Bear King.

“You’ve outlived your usefulness to me, human,” the Bear King said, voice cold as steel. “You have no further information that can help me rid myself of the Forest Pack.”

“I understand that, my liege,” Jaha said. “I know of a way that you may gain further information if you will allow me to live a bit longer.”

“And how can I gain information when I have no way of getting inside the border,” he roared and backhanded Jaha. 

I cringed when I saw that the strike had sent Jaha flying. We watched as he got to his knees and stared down at the floor.

“Use me,” Jaha said. “I can get back into the Forest Pack Territory and into Manassas.”

“How is that, human?”

“Before they sent us out of the territory to die,” he replied maliciously, “They gave us each a brand. If we were able to make it back to the border gate and showed them the brand, they would bring us back to Manassas.”

“Go on,” the Bear King said, suddenly intrigued.

“My brand is still visible, my king,” Jaha replied slowly. “I can get in. Allow me to be your ears and eyes. They would never suspect that you would allow a human to spy for you, let alone live. They do not know that I am here, so they would never suspect me with leaking information.”

“What is it that you want in return,” the king asked. “I know it’s not to keep living.”

“All I ask in return,” Jaha said carefully, “is to allow me to keep Manassas for my people once you’ve taken over the Forest Pack Territory. Nothing more. I do not ask for you to spare the lives of the traitors in my camp. The Apex that are holding my people hostage. I ask for Manassas and the lives of my people. Nothing more.”

“How do you propose to get information to me?”

“Is there someone in your employ that has the capability of creating a communication device that is untraceable?”

“What if I do?”

“Then that would solve how I would be able to give you information.”

“Would there be a way for you to get to the capital without returning to Manassas?”

“I do not know, Sire. I do not know if I would be escorted or allowed to make my way on my own.”

“If it were me, I would have you escorted under lock and key,” the king said thoughtfully.

“Yes, _Haihefa_.”

“You have given yourself another day of life, human,” the king sneered and waved his hand.

Jaha was physically hauled up by someone and taken away. That was where the footage stopped.

“How long ago was this,” Lexa demanded and I felt her authority unfurl.

“Not more than a couple of hours, _Pakstoka_ ,” she replied.

“Good,” she said. “Very good, Seph. Thank you.”

“We need to convene a council meeting,” I said. “We need to plan and they need to see this video as well. Seph, as much as I hate to put it off, but can you coordinate with Kane and set it up for first thing in the morning? We have the telepath coming soon and right now that’s where our focus needs to be or I’d have it this evening.”

“Of course, Clarke,” Sephy answered. “I’ll make sure it happens and I’ll let you know as soon as it’s arranged. Am I to assume you will be attending as well, Pakstoka?”

“Damn right, I will,” she said. “This involves the entire Pack not just Manassas. Make sure that Indra knows as well.”

“Yes, _Pakstoka_.”

Sephy left us in the office and I started thinking furiously about this new information. And what it could possibly mean for my people. Lexa seemed to be thinking along the same lines, but she got up and paced to think more clearly. Neither one of us noticed when Dani and Scarlett appeared.

“Clarke,” Dani asked as she took a seat by me. “What did Seph need to show the two of you?”

I looked over at her and said, “The Bear King may be forcing us to push up our timeline, Dani. Jaha just proposed to reinsert himself back into the territory to spy for him.”

“That is not good,” she replied, shaking her head. “We’re no closer to resolving this than we were a month ago.”

“I know. I could really use Nyx’s mind in this.”

“If the telepath is as good as we think she is, we just may be able to,” Scarlett said as she came to lean on the desk.

“I am glad that you’ve kept watch on this human, Clarke,” Lexa said as she came to a stop.

“It was Nyx’s idea,” I said. “We’ve been hoping for just such an opportunity, though I don’t think we expected this kind of information. It looked like Jaha is grasping at straws to continue to breathe.”

“The burning question in my mind is if this was a planted conversation or did this Jaha forget about the implant?”

I shook my head, “I don’t know, but I would think that it would be in our best interest to plan on both scenarios.”

She nodded, “I agree. We need more heads on this.”

“That’s why I ordered a council meeting, Lexa,” I said with a small smile. “We have some of the greatest minds here. We’ll be able to figure this out and keep the territory yours.”

“Ours,” she said and smiled at me.

“Ours.”

Someone knocked on the door and a guard waited just outside the open doorway.

“Yes, Kal,” Lexa said. “What is it?”

He stepped into the room and bowed, “The team that you’ve been waiting for has arrived. Shall I have them brought here?”

“Yes, please do. Make sure that everyone is very respectful of the woman that is accompanying them. We’ll remain here, so bring refreshments for us.”

“Yes, _Pakstoka_ ,” he said bowing and then leaving us alone.

“Is it me or is this some crazy coincidence,” I asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Earlier I said that we needed the telepath here to work with Nyx after we took her off of life support and then you said that she just so happened to show up in one of the teams camps. Now, we’re talking about how we need Nyx to help solve this new problem and she just so happens to show up in the nick of time.”

“That is a little strange,” Dani said. “Just when we need her, she’s found and then she’s here.”

“What the hell is going on,” Scarlett said, uneasily.

“Wouldn’t we all like to know the answer to that question,” Lexa said ruefully.

A couple of guards entered the room bearing trays of refreshments and laid them out on a small conference table.

“So, how should we do this,” I asked trying to sound causal. “Should we stay where we are or sit at the table or have Lexa sit behind the desk or...”

“Where you are is fine,” a woman’s voice said as she entered the room. 

She walked in and bowed deeply before us, “It is an honor to make all of your acquaintances. I am Niylah.”

Lexa stepped forward and bowed her head in response, “Thank you, Niylah. We are honored to have you here. Please, why don’t we have a seat at the table so that we can discuss this matter.”

Niylah smiled, but shook her head, “There is nothing to discuss, _Pakstoka_. I know why I am here. Mother Earth has provided me with all of the information I need to know. I am glad to see that all of you are here, though. It will make my job much easier having her bondmates here. Would you please show me where she is, so that I can get started.”

“Of course,” Lexa said and started escorting her out of the room. “She’s in the bunker in their medical wing. If you’ll follow me.”

We scrambled after them and kept silent as we trailed as close as we could without tripping one another. I watched as all of the guards parted before us and bowed as we passed. I had no idea why they did that, but assumed it was because of Lexa and not Niylah. We stopped outside the room.

“If you all would wait out here,” Niylah said. “I’d like a moment alone to assess her mind without hinderance.”

“Of course,” Lexa responded for all of us.

Niylah entered the room and closed the door behind her. I got a little worried when she locked the door.

“Why’d she lock the door,” I whispered.

“I don’t know,” Dani whispered back.

“Why are y’all whispering. She can hear our thoughts,” Scarlett whispered.

“You’re whispering to,” Lexa whispered and then said in a normal voice, “Oh, this is ridiculous. There shouldn’t be anything to worry about. She’s here to help us, remember?”

“Then why lock the door,” I asked.

“To keep us from interfering, would be my guess.”

“Why would we…”

A screamed ripped through the walls and we all turned to the locked door. Dani started banging on the door and tried to break in, but it was holding fast. I stepped back and covered my ears as the screams continued. Lexa came over and held me as we jumped each time there was a scream. I thought my ears were going to bleed from the sound when finally it quieted down. I straightened up slowly and looked worriedly at the door. The door unlocked and opened. Dani grabbed Niylah by the neck and slammed her into the wall.

“What the hell did you just do, woman,” she growled angrily.

“My apologies,” Niylah said completely unperturbed. “I had to dig through her mind to find the manipulation. I removed it and when I did, she saw what she had done for the first time in eight years. It was a little more than what she could handle and I was fighting with her to push the memories away far enough to allow her to disassociate from it. She remembers what happen, but it will no longer plague her as it once did.”

“Oh,” Dani said and gently lowered her back down to the ground and backed away from her. “My apologies. I didn’t know.”

Niylah smiled at Dani and replied, “Nor did I expect you to, Dani. I should be the one to apologize for not explaining what was going to happen.”

“Is she better,” Lexa asked.

“Not quite,” she replied. “For this next step, I need all four of you. Please come in and stand around her bed.”

We filed in and we each took up a spot.

“Lexa, Clarke, if you two would please move so that you’re closer to her heart. Dani, Scarlett, please move to her knees and could one of you pull her covers off of her.”

We moved and I noticed that the bed had been moved away from the wall so that Niylah could stand directly above Nyx’s head. I watched her curiously as she looked each of us over.

“Good,” she said with a benign smile, “Dani, Scarlett place one hand on her knees and the other on her hips. Lexa, Clarke, take a hand in yours and the other over her heart. Good. Now, close your eyes and focus on Nyx. The good, the bad, the ugly, show her the truth as you open yourself to her through your bonds.”

I closed my eyes and opening myself up, I let my memories of Nyx flow. I did exactly as she asked. Every minute from the time I first laid eyes on her in the bar to now. I showed her what I remembered, what I felt, everything. I felt her hand tighten around mine and I wanted to open my eyes, but I knew it wasn’t time yet, but I felt tears flow down my face and I focused on my love for her. Begging her to see how much I loved her even through everything that we’d been through together in such a short span of time.

Something changed and I could finally open my eyes. I took my hand that had lain over her heart and wiped the tears from my face as I heard sniffles from around me. I looked up at everyone and they were doing the same. I felt a gentle squeeze and looked down at the hand that still held Nyx’s. I followed it up her arm and finally up to her face. There were tears streaming down her face, but she wasn’t awake. I looked up at Niylah and she gave me a small smile.

“I’ve pulled her out of the coma, but it will take a little while for her to come fully awake,” she explained.

“I don’t know how we can ever repay you for this,” I said, an unbidden amount of emotions coursing through me.

“I am not quite done yet, Clarke,” she said. “Three of you still hold memories of Nyx that could be harmful in the long run if they remain unchecked. Scarlett is the only one who has removed herself successfully from seeing Nyx suffer through her drug addiction. You have a healthy mind, Scarlett.”

“Thank you,” she said, confused.

“Now, come, Clarke, your memories are the freshest and fiercest that must be dealt with.”

“My memories,” I said, confused and then I started to remember the fear and the hurt I’d been carrying around since she first attacked me. “Oh, those memories.”

“Yes, those memories,” she said and taking my hand, took me to the other side of the room and closed the curtain. “Sit.”

I sat on the mattress and she sat behind me.

“Relax, Clarke,” she said, calmingly. “You will experience the pain and fear again, but it will be over in a flash.”

I forced myself to relax, picturing the view of the back of the compound from the French door and how relaxing that made me feel.

“Good,” she whispered as she gently laid her fingers along my temple. “Breathe, Clarke. Remember, it will be over quickly.”

Suddenly my mind turned to the night that Nyx had nearly killed me. I cried out as I felt the pain and the fear come back.

_Breathe, Clarke. Do not fight it._

I took a shuddering breath and forced myself to breathe through the pain and fear as that memory slid into the next and into the next. I knew I was sobbing, but I didn’t fight it. I witnessed again Nyx punching things and then hitting me. Apologizing so much for doing it. It was breaking my heart seeing those memories again. Then, I felt the pain, the hurt, the fear lessen until I could breathe comfortably again. I began to see them as what they were, memories. Just memories without the emotions behind them. I no longer felt them bog down my mind or questioning myself into believing that I deserved it. I felt freer, lighter. The memories stopped and I found myself looking back through the French doors overlooking the back of the compound.

Niylah removed her fingers from my head and I could open my eyes. I wiped the tears away and looked at her over my shoulder.

“Thank you,” I whispered shakily.

“Your welcome, Clarke. How do you feel?”

“Lighter, more free.”

“Good. That is how it is meant to feel. Those ugly emotions are still there, but they will not bother you much when you remember what happened.”

“Thank you again, Niylah.”

She stood up and held out a hand for me to grab. I grabbed it and she hauled me up to my feet. She held me steady as I gained my footing again and then walked me back over to Nyx’s side of the room. She motioned to Dani and soon they were ensconced behind the curtain.

“Are you alright,” Lexa asked as she hugged me.

“Surprisingly, the answer is yes,” I said as I looked at her with a small smile on my face. “Whatever she did, I’m no longer afraid of fearing her. I hadn’t realized how much I feared her.”

“You feared her?”

“Unfortunately, yes. Ever since she nearly killed me, I’d come to fear her. It got worse when she started becoming more violent. I was starting to think I deserved it.”

“Oh, honey,” Scarlett said as she came and hugged me tightly. “No one deserves to be beaten, even if the person is apologetic about it afterwards. No one.”

“I knew that. I know that, but it was so hard because I was so conflicted about the whole thing.”

“But you no longer fear her,” Lexa asked.

“No, I don’t,” I said with relief. “I understand why it happened, but it no longer controls me. I control it.”

“And that is how it should be, sweetie,” Scarlett said. 

We stayed huddled as we heard Dani begin to wail, sobbing as she faced her own memories. We all felt the need to go over and comfort her, but we also knew that we couldn’t, not yet. Not until she accepted the memories and moved passed them. Eventually, she stopped sobbing and I could hear the soft murmur of conversation that was punctuated by her sniffles. She came over to us and we enveloped her into a hug. We took a moment and then it was Lexa’s turn. We watched her as the curtain closed behind her. We moved further away, because we knew that she would be having the hardest time. We all sat against the wall and took comfort from one another as we waited, listening to Lexa’s cries of anguish and pain. It was a long time before she emerged, but we repeated our process, giving comfort in touch and words. When Lexa was more in control of herself, she turned to Niylah.

“Thank you, Niylah, from the bottom of our hearts,” she said with every ounce of sincerity she possessed. “We can’t thank you enough or even know how we can repay you for this.”

Niylah stepped closer to us and said, “The five of you have a hard and difficult road before you. You all need to be strong and confident in your love for one another in order for our pack to survive. You are the key to everything. Draw strength from one another, love from one another. That is why Mother Earth sent me to you. I have been repaid many times for this. But I will also do you another favor. You believe that the survivors from the border were manipulated into creating more chaos in Nyx’s life, correct?”

“Yes,” I replied.

“Then I would like to speak with Lincoln. He will be able to provide me with the answers and I will give them to you,” she said. 

“I can take him to you, now, if you’d like,” Dani volunteered.

“Not necessary,” she replied smiling, “but thank you. I will find him on my own. For now, stay here and wait for Nyx to wake up.”

“Alright,” Lexa said and we watched her leave the room.

I went over to the mattresses on the floor and fell down on them, feeling completely exhausted. The others joined me and did nothing more than hold one another.

“Are you girls alright,” Scarlett asked when the silence had gone on long enough.

“Yeah,” I replied and leaned up on my elbows. “I know I am. I’m just suddenly exhausted from it.”

“Me too,” Lexa chimed in.

“Me three,” said Dani.

“What was it like? If you don’t mind me asking,” she asked quietly.

I looked at Lexa and Dani and seeing neither one of the wanted to say anything, I said, “Imagine your worst memory and having it replay over and over again, but instead of becoming more fearful or hurt or angry about it, those feelings fade away until you can look at the memory as if it were just a memory. You know you have emotions tied to it and they’re still there, but they no longer overwhelm you or hinder you. It no longer drains you of energy and you can look at it dispassionately and learn from it so you can’t repeat it.”

“Is that right,” she asked looking at Lexa and Dani.

They both nodded and she said, “Wow. That’s some powerful mind mojo.”

I chuckled, “You have no idea.”

“Well, I for one am glad it’s over,” Lexa said. “I hadn’t realized how much guilt I had placed on myself. Over something I didn’t really have any control over.”

“I guess sometimes you have to have someone show you to make you understand where that all came from.”

“I guess so,” she said and kissed me. 

I kissed her back and we all laid back down again. The exhaustion crept up on me and I soon fell asleep.


	40. Nyx

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the feeling of being grounded. My mind was no longer adrift in the miasma of pain and guilt that had been it’s mainstay for the last couple of months. Or maybe shorter or longer than that. I had no idea how long I had drifted before I felt reconnected with my body. Looking internally, I noted that I had been completely healed. Both in body and in mind. It took me a little while longer to remember why it was important to note that, but when I did, the memories came flying back.

I had fallen prey to a manipulation created by the Ice Pack spy and in doing so had nearly died from the effects. I also recalled the pain that I had inflicted on my bondmates. Guilt and regret sprang as I remembered hitting Clarke in spurts of violent anger with no reason behind it beyond whatever my mind had imagined. Those feelings doubled when I remembered that we had forced Dani to keep it a secret from everyone else. I had a lot to answer for but I was ready.

I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling. It’s cold concrete and artificial dim lighting doing nothing more than creating a bit of anxiety from being underground. I don’t know how Clarke’s people could still stand to be underground when the world was open to them now, but it was not my place to judge.

I rubbed my face as I sat up slowly, breathing in deeply. I slowly exhaled as I realized that I was far from being alone in the room. I glanced to my left, but encountered nothing more than a wall so I turned to my right. My eyes widened in surprise as I saw the four women sleeping on mattresses that were laid on the floor. There was no mistaking who they were and my confusion grew until I felt emotions that were not my own.

These were my bondmates. I was happy to find out that Scarlett was one of them. She’d always had a special place in my heart since we met five years ago and now I knew why. She was and always would be, a part of my life. It was strange that I felt no hint of utter confusion or shock that I now found myself bonded to four women. Instead, it made me feel more solid. Like I had a greater foundation to stand upon. And, maybe for the first time in my life, I felt complete and whole.

I wanted nothing more than to go over there and let them wrap their arms around me, but I couldn’t bring myself to wake them up. Not that I minded watching them sleep peacefully in each others’ arms, but it was because of what I had done that kept me rooted in the bed. Even though one could say that the abuse was the result of the manipulation, I still raised my hand and struck Clarke. I was the one who caused her pain and injury. I was the one that created the fear in her eyes. That was all me and I had to own it. I just hoped that I hadn’t lost them because of it.

Then there was Dani. I may not have abused her physically, but I had abused our relationship and the power that I have. By forcing her to keep silent, I had forced her to be an unwilling participant. I took a moment and let my eyes graze over her sleeping form and couldn’t fight the tightening of my chest with the feeling of guilt.  
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly to ease the tightening, closing my eyes against the tears that threatened to fall. She had always been a part of me, maybe far longer than Lexa had and to cause her distress broke my heart, making me wish that I had never asked of her something that went against both of our natures.

_Look who is up and about_ , a voice said and I heard the smile in it as the door opened quietly.

I looked up and couldn’t help the sad smile on my face as Niylah entered.

_Niylah_ , I breathed as she came over and sat on the bed. _It has been a very long time since we last saw one another._

_Indeed. How are you feeling?_

_I feel like this is the first time that my mind is completely clear. Thank you for that._

Niylah shrugged, _It’s what I do, Nyx. But tell me, what’s with the guilt trip?_

I chuckled lightly, _Never could keep those thoughts away from you, huh? Niylah, I broke the law. I beat Clarke and forced Dani to keep it a secret. Doubly bad because they’re my bondmates. Why wouldn’t I feel guilty?_

She took my hand and replied, _Nyx, it’s over and done with. I worked with both of them yesterday and they both understand that it wasn’t really you._

_What do you mean, it wasn’t really me? It was my hand and my power._

She shook her head, _It was a result of the manipulation. The woman set some deep compulsions in you. Just like you lost yourself to the wolf during the attack, she made sure that you had the worst possible reaction. She wanted to make sure that no matter what, your life ended._

I felt my rage build, _That fucking bitch. I will kill her when I come across her again. This is the last time she gets away with nearly killing me._

_Easy, Nyx. You can’t let that rage control you. Let it go for now. Trust me._

I took some deep calming breaths and forced the rage down, _Niylah, I trust you, but it’s like a never ending cycle and she’s the root cause of it all._

_I understand completely. Trust me, I’ve been in your mind and have seen what you’ve been through. You need to focus on more important things. Things like your four bondmates. They’ve all forgiven you and their love for you is nearly awe inspiring._

_Awe inspiring, huh? It doesn’t really matter how much they love me or that they’ve forgiven me. I haven’t forgiven myself for what I’ve done and there’s a niggling feeling like I don’t deserve their love._

She gave me a frustrated sigh and said, _Enough, Nyx. There is nothing to forgive. It happened and yes the memories are still there in each and every one of them. I’ve removed them enough that all of you can move past them. If you’re so hell bent on seeking forgiveness, fine. Apologize to them and take any lumps they give you, but you’re barking up a dead tree. Then move past this. You need to move past this and focus on the here and now._

I felt the force behind her words and felt the tightness in my chest ease slightly, _I get it. I really do, but you know me._

She smiled warmly and pulled my head towards her until our heads touched, _I know. I’m sorry that you’ve been given such a heavy burden of responsibility, but that’s why you’ve got four bondmates. They are here for you to help ease the burden as you tackle whatever is coming. Don’t shove them away and try to handle everything on your own. They love you unconditionally and you them. Now, why don’t you go wake them up so that they can love you._

_Alright. Thank you again, Niylah. You should go ahead and get out of here. I’m starting to feel your agitation. You’re beginning to project._

She let me go and nodded, _Thank you for reminding me of that. Before I go, let Lexa know that the survivors were manipulated like you thought. I’ve worked on Lincoln and you can rebuild that relationship with him. I’ll track down the others and remove what the spy has done to them._

With a last embrace, she got up and left quietly. She turned at the door and gave me a pointed look and jerked her head to the women on the floor. I sighed and nodded and then she left. I turned my gaze back to the women and felt my heart tug in four different directions. I couldn’t help myself and turned my focus to the bonds. They were strong and I was surprised by how strong they were. I also felt something different. A different type of bond and it seemed centered around Lexa and Clarke. It was stronger than the bonds that carried to us and I had a sinking feeling that I knew exactly what kind of bond they shared. I didn’t voice it as I climbed out of bed and walked over to them. 

I crouched down and gazed at the woman who had opened my heart once more. Clarke. The woman who had entranced me after just one single night filled with discovery on her part and the unmistakable knowing that what we had was only the beginning. I reached down to stroke her face, but my hand stilled, hovering a mere hairsbreadth away. A slight frown found it’s way on my face even though I knew that there was nothing but love radiating down our bond. I steeled myself with one last deep breath and lightly began stroking her face, following the curve of it feather light and found myself relaxing at the touch. Her eyes fluttered open and I fell deep into the oceanic blue of her eyes, a smile tugging my lips. 

When sleep filled eyes finally bore recognition, her mouth parted slightly in shock and then I was quickly brought into a tight embrace. My arms wrapped around her and I couldn’t help the tears that fell as I breathed in her scent. I felt her own tears begin to fall and my chest squeezed tight once more as guilt came into play. 

“I’m sorry,” I whispered into her hair. “I’m so sorry.” 

She pulled back and grabbed my head with both of her hands, her eyes searching my face through the glistening tears in her eyes, “It doesn’t matter. None of it matters anymore. You’re here.” 

“I’m here,” I replied and she pulled me into a kiss, deep and filled with longing. 

I lost myself in the taste of her lips and feeling as if I had been starving, eager to taste all of her. I gently nipped her bottom lip causing her to gasp and my tongue begged entrance. Her mouth parted, allowing me in and our tongues danced a waltz as we remembered. 

We parted breathless and I kissed her gently as we stared into each other’s eyes. So lost in each other, we didn’t feel the woman next to us stir until a hand gently cupped my face and turned my gaze towards her. Her eyes were filled with such love that I reached up, cupping her neck and drawing her into an equally passionate kiss. She moaned as I captured her mouth and it pooled in my chest. 

I felt desire down our shared bonds, but I held back because there were two other women that deserved equal attention. As if the desire called to them, they had soon joined us and I fell into the embrace of four incredible women. It was the homecoming I had dreamed of and my heart soared. The embrace was so tight, their hands reaching towards me, making sure that I was real, that I soon found it heard to breathe. 

I broke a kiss with Dani and with a strained breath said, “I can’t breathe.” 

They immediately slid back amidst laughter and I found the air I so desperately needed. It was a brief respite before I found myself divested of my clothes and shifted to the mattress. There seemed a hunger in our touches and lips, but it became more than sex. This was lovemaking in it’s truest form and I couldn’t have wished for anything more perfect.

There was an explosion of orgasms that rocked my body leaving it weak and sated. I fell asleep wrapped in their arms and knew I would do everything in my power to never let anything come between us again. 

I woke to an arm around my waist, tight as if to make sure I didn’t disappear. I felt the corners of my mouth twitch upwards at the sentiment and couldn’t have agreed more. Opening my sleep laden eyes, I found myself inches from Dani’s face. Her mouth slack with sleep, her breathing easy, and hair fallen into eyes. On impulse, I leaned my head forward and kissed her gently. Her lips parted, inviting a deeper kiss as her eyes fluttered open. I obliged her request and her hand strayed to cup my face in tenderness. 

When we parted, I couldn’t help but stare into her beautiful eyes. They were the shade of the frozen tree sap, amber, and her irises were the dragonfly forever immortalized. Her eyes traveled my face, lingering on my lips and causing me to smile before I frowned slightly. 

“I’m sorry I put you in such a position, Dani,” I whispered softly. “I should have never used my power like that.” 

She smiled softly and replied, “It’s in the past, _niron_. What happened has no bearing on the present or the future. Let it go.” 

I nodded slightly and felt tears fill my eyes, “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I am so grateful that you are a part of my life.” 

She chuckled and brought me closer, leaning her head up slightly to capture my lips with hers. I sighed and my hand slid down her side to grip her hip tightly. It was a sweet moment that assuaged any lingering doubt and guilt that I had woken to. I nestled my head against her shoulder and took comfort in her scent. She held me tightly and I could feel her fingers entwine with Scarlett. 

I felt at peace listening to her breathing, my own slowly beginning to match as we both relaxed. I was awake, cocooned in warmth and love by the very people that I yearned for without realizing it. They completed me. 

I felt Scarlett move closer, her lips traveling across my neck and making me shiver at the feeling. I closed my eyes and suddenly they snapped open when she whacked me on my head. 

“Ow,” I cried out indignantly. “What the hell was that for?” 

“Don’t you ever raise your hand against one of us again, Nyx,” she said, her southern drawl more pronounced. “Do you hear me?” 

I turned myself to face her, my face beet red, “I hear you loud and clear, Scar. Never again will I raise my hand in anger whether it is real or imagined. I swear on Mother Earth and all that we hold holy.” 

“I’m glad you understand. Because if you ever do, you will regret ever meeting me and wish that you were dead.” 

I swallowed thickly, my eyes widening in fear and nodded. I knew exactly what she could do and she was the type of person you never wanted to come across in a dark alley when she was pissed. 

“Scarlett isn’t the only one to fear if you ever break your oath,” Lexa growled. “I swear to Mother Earth that if you ever raise a hand again against my lifemate, you will wish you had died this time.” 

I sat up abruptly and stared at her in disbelief, “Lifemate? You and Clarke? That’s why your bonds are different?” 

“Fuck,” she said, sighing, “That’s not how we planned on telling you, but yes, Clarke and I have a lifebond.” 

“Lifemate,” I whispered to myself, looking between both of them and felt a twinge of something I didn’t recognize. I shook my head to dispel the feeling and looked down at my hands. 

“Nyx,” Clarke asked, drawing my eyes to her. “Are you alright?” 

I nodded, “Yeah, I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am. It’ll take me a minute to get used to it. That’s all.” 

“Okay,” she replied, uncertainly. 

I felt Scarlett pull me to her, wrapping her arms comfortingly around me and I leaned back into her, grateful for the touch. Dani sat up and wrapped her arms around me as well and I felt their love radiate through the bonds. There was a bit of awkward silence and then my stomach growled rather loudly drawing everyone’s attention and making me blush. 

Dani laughed, “Someone’s hungry finally.” 

“I guess,” I replied. “Can we get some food down here?” 

“Most definitely,” Clarke replied, grinning, and searched for the communicator. 

She called down to the barrack’s chef and ordered and everyone got dressed. When it arrived, the aroma sent my mouth drooling and I could barely contain myself. After having barely eaten for who knows how long, the need to eat was nearly overpowering. Scarlett had to remind me to slow down so that I wouldn’t get sick from overeating. I listened, but grumbled the entire time eliciting comments from Dani. As we ate, they told me what had transpired the few days that I was in a coma. I wasn’t surprised that Mother Earth had visited to heal me and reminded them that she seemed to have a soft spot for me. 

After getting my fill of food, I felt myself getting drowsy and eventually fell back asleep. For the first time in a long time, my slumber wasn’t disturbed by nightmares and I was finally allowed to rest peacefully. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn’t the greatest chapter, but it gives a bit of resolution. Please be kind.


	41. Nyx

I woke up to the feeling of being enveloped in softness and I could hear purring coming from all around me. I realized that it was the purring that Clarke had described to me and I smiled at the thought. Everyone was happy and for the moment we were safe. It was wonderful to feel this again. To feel whole and complete.

I shifted a little and found myself nestled between Scarlett and Dani. I peered over Dani’s head and saw Lexa and Clarke sleeping peacefully. I frowned a little remembering that they had told me that they were lifemates. It shouldn’t bother me, but it did. I felt cheated somehow and my wolf agreed. I sighed and laid my head back down. I was so very confused right now. I should be happy for them. So, why wasn’t I? I growled low at myself for feeling this way. What the hell was wrong with me? Forest Pack doesn’t get jealous over relationships, but that’s what it felt like. I was jealous, but of whom? The whole bonding thing, I knew I was good with. It felt right and true. So, why?

I was starting to feel angry, so I got up carefully and went to the other side of the room and sat down against the wall and stared at them. But, staring at them only made me feel worse, so I closed my eyes and took some deep calming breaths. When I felt better, I kept my eyes closed and worked it out in my head.

So, 14 years ago, Lexa, Dani and I bonded with one another. Strengthening the leadership of the pack. 9 years ago, Lexa and I claimed one another. Again strengthening the pack. 8 years ago, shit happened and the claim was lost and the bonds weakened. I come back 8 years later after having slept with Clarke for the first time and developed feelings for her immediately. I sleep with Dani during the Harvest Moon reestablishing our bond. Everything is forgiven and I’m sleeping with Lexa again and reconnecting with her. The night before I come here, I sleep with Lexa, Dani, and Scarlett, which created a bond with Scarlett. Then I come here and fall in love with Clarke. I sleep with her exclusively until Dani comes and we start sharing her, for a lack of a better term, and create a bond with Clarke. Shit hits the fan and Lexa and Scarlett come here and ended up creating a five way bond. Lexa and Clarke take one look at each other and it’s a Lifemate bond. That was it. That was why I was feeling jealous. I’m in love with Clarke and it wasn’t a Lifemate bond.

I snapped open my eyes as the realization hit me and looked at them again. I’d fallen hard for the mysterious girl at the bar and followed her here. Drawn like a magnet. After 8 years of holding myself back from ever really falling in love again, I opened myself up to it and dived in head first. It was because fate or Mother Earth hadn’t chosen me to be with Clarke. I’d opened myself up and my heart had been broken, but was it really broken? I looked over all of them and realized that it hadn’t, not really. If what I felt yesterday was real, they all loved me and I loved them. I just had to open my heart to one of them and the rest fell into place. I smiled then. The beginnings of hate fading away into nothingness. The jealousy receding back into darkness where it belonged. I was loved, not by one woman, but by four.

_You’re thinking hard over there, niron_ , Dani said.

I looked over at her and could see one gleaming gold eye looking at me. Why had I never noticed her eyes before. They were a beautiful amber color.

I smiled and replied, _I needed to figure something out._

_Did you?_

_I did._

_Then why don’t you come back to bed, sweetheart._

I nodded and got up. Dani reached up and brought me down to her where I snuggled into her arms as she kissed the side of my neck, making me sigh in contentment.

_God, it feels so good to hold you in my arms again, Nyx. I’ve missed you._

_I’ve missed you, too. I’m sorry that I made you swear not to tell anyone._

_Forgiven, love. I’m sorry that I listened and didn’t get help sooner._

_Forgiven, niron._

She kissed my neck again and her hand traveled to cup my breast, making me shiver in pleasure.

_You’re so skinny, now._

_I could probably still kick your ass, though_ , I said chuckling.

_Maybe in a few days, love, but right now you need to recover a bit more before you take anyone on._

_I know_ , I replied sadly.

_Hush, Nyx. It’s alright. It’s going to be alright._

I nodded and sighed as I closed my eyes and focused on her touch. I fell asleep listening to Dani’s breathing and her arm wrapped around me tightly. 

There was a niggling sensation in the back of my head and I swatted it before I realized it was in my head not on my head. I groaned as I opened my eyes. I looked around and saw that they were huddled around a tablet and that it was worry and concern I felt and it was coming from them. I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

“What is it,” I said yawning.

They all looked up at me startled, but Clarke got up and sat next to me with the tablet in her hand.

“The day before yesterday, we found out that Jaha proposed to the Bear King to send him here to spy on us in return for Manassas after the Ice Pack takes over the territory,” she said.

“Okay,” I said thinking. “I take it you’ve got a council meeting scheduled to discuss this?”

“Yes,” she replied and handed me the tablet.

I hit play and watched in horror as the Bear King approved the idea. He was sending Jaha home. To spy. On us. So, not good. So, very not good.

“And you said that it was only a couple of days ago that he proposed the idea,” I asked, still thinking.

“Yeah.”

“Was there anything prior to this that could give us any idea if he had tried to broach the idea before yesterday?”

“I don’t believe so,” Lexa said. “Why?”

“In just 48 hours the Bear King approved an idea presented to him by a human slave. It’s got to be a plant. There’s no way he would have made such a hasty decision like this. Something else is going on and I think he’s very well aware that we’re watching him.”

“Which means what, exactly,” Dani asked.

“Do you still have a network in Ice Pack territory, Dani?”

“I think I do. I lost contact with them about two months back. Haven’t heard a peep since then.”

“Shit,” I said thinking hard. “Okay, if that’s the case. Your network has been either compromised and they’re in hiding or they’re dead. Which means we have to assume that they know about the implant. If that’s the case, he’s waiting for our reaction to the news that he’s sending Jaha home.”

“Which means that we either kill him on sight or let him through,” Lexa said. 

“Right. He may even be used as a diversion to get our border guards to focus on him while a small team invades our territory.”

“If we kill him or let him through, the Bear King can go to the Coalition and say that we either killed his property, which is a big no no, or we stole his property and demand equal compensation,” I said.

“Which would mean what exactly,” Clarke asked.

“Either return Jaha or provide him with another human slave on top of a heavy fine. Either way, bringing the Coalition here and giving them access to our territory. Where they will learn about the number of humans that we have contained and that I’m here.”

“Neither of which can happen,” Dani said.

“So, what can we do,” Clarke asked. 

“It’s up to what both councils decide. My recommendation would be to seal off the entire territory completely by shield or ward, preferably both.”

“I’m pretty sure between Raven, Monty, and Ben, the shield won’t be too much of an issue.”

“Except they need something physical like a wall to anchor the shield,” I said glumly.

“And there’s no way to get that big of a project built in time to repel any possible invaders. We also don’t have enough manpower to man every inch of the territory,” Dani concluded.

“Right,” I replied. “The only way to get it built in time would be to have a powerful earth and metal mage working together.”

“How do you figure,” Lexa asked curiously.

“Easy. You have the earth mage build a living model of the territory on a raised glass surface, extending the earth downward to about 100 feet below ground. Then using the model, you have the metal mage create towering poles an equidistant apart from one another, surround the territory exactly on the border. From there, you create a ward using the poles as the anchor points. That’s the wall you can build the shield on and dropping below the ground to cover the 100 feet of underground territory.”

“Sealing us completely in with no way in or out.”

“Not necessarily,” I said. “With the ward, you create multiple entry points that is keyed specifically to the Commanding Officer of the border patrols. The entry points would be the height of our largest vehicle and the width of the physical gate. That way we only allow those who need to enter or exit the territory.”

“We don’t have anyone powerful enough to do that,” Lexa said forlornly.

“Wrong,” I said confidently. “You have me.”

“Even you’re not that powerful, Nyx.”

“Wrong again. I have it on very good authority I have limitless power. The only thing that hindered me was thinking I had only a certain level of power.”

“On whose authority,” Scarlett demanded.

I looked at her and said, “Mother Earth’s.”

“What? Since when?”

“When Clarke killed me,” I said as I stretched my legs out. “I had a very long conversation with her. That’s the other reason why I didn’t come out sooner, Clarke.”

“And this conversation you had with Mother Earth?”

Suddenly embarrassed, I said, “It was my ‘Come to Jesus’ conversation with Mother Earth. She was very pissed at me from trying to run away from my problems. I swore to her that I wouldn’t do that again.”

“What else did she tell you,” Dani asked.

“That there’s something coming and I’m some sort of a savior or something like that. That I’m here to maintain a balance. Of what I don’t know. That there’s a reason why the four of you are here with me. Oh, and she really broke the mold when she created me. It’s the reason why I’m the most powerful person on the East Coast.”

“Person,” Scarlett asked in confusion.

I nodded, “No one alive is more powerful or more dangerous than me. She gave me limitless powers. Once I get over the mindset of having a limit, I can pretty much do anything, including building a living model of the territory, building the towers, and setting the ward. The only thing I can’t do is build a shield. That’s where Monty, Raven, and Ben come in. We’ll need all three of them to build it large enough and set the parameters of keeping anything out except for the wildlife, flora, and weather.”

“Which means that we need to take your inhibitor off,” Clarke said.

“That is the unfortunate thing out of all of this. Even I’m nervous of my own powers. Though she did say that I can learn to focus my powers without harming my own people.”

“We still don’t know what’s coming,” Dani said glumly.

“No we don’t, but we can at least solve this one problem.”

“Did she by chance mention what to do with the humans,” Clarke asked hopefully.

“No, not really. What she did tell me was that somehow I’m supposed to save the humans and in doing so, save the pack. She’s the one that told me that in order to deal with Jaha, we had to show him exactly how cruel our world is to humans.”

“Which we did and he’s now a slave to the Bear King.”

“And in doing so, we also showed your humans how cruel our world is to their own kind. In a way, it was a win-win.”

“Except that we now have them demanding that we save them,” Dani said, grumbling.

“They still don’t understand the why behind it,” I said nodding. “There’s not much we can tell them in regards to that other than it’s dangerous to expose ourselves until we figure out what to do with them.”

“We’re actually working on a solution to that in a way,” Clarke said. “The people have finally fully recovered and we have a final number of each group.”

“And they are?”

“41 werewolves, 32 mages, and 138 humans.”

“And you said that you’re working on a solution?”

She nodded, “Mm-hm. We’re creating rosters of Apex and human pairings for now, because I realized that there were going to be instances of that happening. When we’ve got that done, it’s going to be like multiple counseling sessions. Explaining to each pair about what’s happened to them. What I’d like to see happen is for the Apex/human pairs to move up to the surface so that the Apex can get proper training. I know that there will be some separations where one doesn’t want anything to do with the other after they get the news. I also know that there needs to be a general assembly with the humans to explain that those couples exist and impress upon them that the Apex need the training so that they don’t harm anyone by accident.”

“That’s actually pretty good thinking,” I said as I continued to think about it. “Explain to them that you don’t want to see families separated and want what’s best for everyone around. Stress the importance of having Apex trained. Of course, they’ll complain about allowing some humans on the surface while keeping the majority of them in the bunker. At that point you can start talking about wanting them to be back on the surface, but because of their past behavior you can’t unless you have reassurances that they will not harm the Apex and are willing to work and live beside them.”

She sighed and relaxed a bit and said, “That’s exactly it. I’m just worried how everything will go.”

“Well, we could always show them a level of trust by removing the guards from the assembly room, but have them stationed outside if it gets rowdy or dangerous. Show them that you’re willing to compromise and work with them.”

“Okay, good,” Lexa said, interrupting, “Now, that there is some semblance of a plan regarding that, what do we do about the Bear King and his slave?”

“Call a joint council meeting to discuss what’s happening,” I said, sighing. “Let everyone bounce ideas off one another. Though a decision will have to be made quickly. If he’s forced to walk to the Eastern border, it’ll take him a couple of weeks to get there.”

“Why not the Northern border,” Dani asked. “It’s closer to where he currently is.”

“He could, but my bet is the Eastern border. Only because, that’s the way he came out of our territory and that’s where’d we expect him to come from. Maybe a week if he did go to the Northern border.”

“It’s best to be on the side of caution and say he’ll be here in a week if he leaves tomorrow or the day after,” Lexa said. “Which also means I have to head back to the capital and call an emergency council meeting.”

“I understand,” I said sadly.

She came over and sat down next to me, giving me a hug, “I know we just got you back and I wish I had more time to spend with you, Nyx, but you know that I have to do this.”

I looked at her and sighed, “I know. I just wish we had a little bit more time together before shit hits the fan.”

She kissed me gently, “Same here, sweetheart. I am so glad we didn’t lose you.”

I smiled, “I am, too. Can you stay at least one more night?”

“Yes,” she said and kissed me again.

Scarlett came over and sitting down said, “I’d hate to bring you more bad news, Nyx, but I’ve got to get back to the city. I’ve been away for as long as I could.”

I nodded and smiled, “I know. Thank you for coming here and helping out.”

She smiled and leaned over and kissed me, “It was my pleasure, darlin’. I’ll stay the night, too.”

I looked up at Dani and asked, “You leaving me, too.”

“Nah,” she said as she joined the rest of us. “You still need me here, but Indra’s got to head back with Lexa.”

“That’s fine by me, I don’t want to have sex with her,” I said and chuckled.

“Yeah, that’d be like having sex with your mother,” she replied laughing.

“Wait, mine or yours?”

“That was one time, Nyx. One time and I was drunk and I only made out with her, I think,” she said, suddenly trying to remember.

I shrugged, “Mom enjoyed what ever it was the two of you got into, but it was so weird. Like when’s Lexa’s mom tried to snag me after graduation. That was wrong on so many levels.”

“You’re telling me,” Lexa said shuddering at the thought. “Especially since we were dating at the time.”

Scarlett held up a hand and said, “Hold up, y’all. Let me see if I got this straight. Dani made out with Nyx’s mom and Lexa’s mom tried to sleep with Nyx. What did Dani’s mom do?”

“Slept with our dads,” I said giggling.

“Wait, she did,” Lexa asked, shocked.

“Yeah,” I replied. “That’s why your mom refused to talk to your dad and Dani’s mom for a whole month.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously. There was a lot of drinking that night, but oh, what a fun night that was,” I said dreamily.

“How many,” Dani said, looking at me sternly.

“How many what,” I asked innocently.

“How many women did you sleep with that night?”

“I lost count after the first 10.”

“The first…,” Lexa cried. “You have got to be fucking kidding me?”

“Good God, Nyx,” Scarlett said, stunned by the news. “They weren’t kidding about you, were they?”

“Hmm,” I asked.

“They told me how after you came of age, you were pursued by every woman in the pack, but damn girl.”

I grinned wide and said, “What can I say, the ladies love me.”

Lexa shoved me hard and I landed on top of Clarke, who was blushing a brilliant red. I smiled down at her and kissed her deeply. She parted her mouth willingly and pulled me closer. Emboldened by our talk, she slid her hand beneath my pants and grabbed my ass cheek. I chuckled against her lips and kissed her below the ear.

“Now, wait a minute,” Lexa said and pulled me from Clarke. “She’s my lifemate. If anyone’s getting that attention it will be me.”

I laughed and moved out of the way so Lexa could show me exactly what she meant. I watched them for a little bit and felt the desire begin to build, I looked behind me and saw that they were watching too. I chuckled and moved over to them and began kissing them in turns. Soon we were all a mass of limbs that cried out in pleasure.

 

“Why can’t I breathe,” someone said, waking me up.

I opened my eyes and moved carefully around everyone as I sat up. I looked around to see who had spoken and I smiled when I saw that it was Dani. I chuckled and helped her out from underneath Lexa and Clarke. When she was free from them, she took in a huge gulp of air which made me laugh. Everyone began to stir from the sound and I just sat there admiring the view.

“I don’t think I can move,” Clarke whined from where she lay, feebly trying to extricate herself from Lexa.

“Damn, I don’t think I can either, sugah,” Scarlett drawled.

“You alright there, Lex,” Dani asked her as she helped Clarke.

“‘M fine,” she said, tiredly. “Jus’ fine. I’mma gonna sleep more.”

“Nah, nah, love,” I said and helped her sit up. “No more sleep. It’s time to get up.”

“No s’not,” she said as she leaned back on me heavily. “Ish sleepy time.”

“Lex, honey,” I asked concerned. “Does your head hurt?”

“No,” she replied and then began to shake her head, but moaned in pain.

Scarlett came over and opened an eye lid to look at her dilation and then laid her hands on her gently.

“She’s got a concussion, Nyx,” Scarlett said looking up at me.

“Well, crap,” I said. “Dani, did we forget to establish a safe word?”

Dani looked over at me and shrugged, “Maybe? I don’t really remember.”

“No, we didn’t establish a safe word,” Clarke said as she sat up on her own. “Were we supposed to?”

“It’s kind of an unspoken rule between the three of us,” I explained. “We can sometimes get a little overzealous and we started having one when I broke my back, Dani had a knot on her head the size of a grapefruit, and Lexa somehow had a slash on a thigh. In one night.”

I heard Lexa sigh and say, “I did say cuttlefish, but I guess you didn’t hear me.”

“Cuttlefish,” I asked, confused.

“Oh my god,” Dani said blushing, “That was our word before you left to come here, Nyx.”

I leaned down and kissed Lexa on the top of her head and said, “I’m sorry, Lex. I don’t remember hearing you say that.”

“I do,” Clarke said, guiltily. “I didn’t realize what she meant. I think the concussion’s my fault.”

“I don’t even remember hitting my head,” Lexa said.

“Well, ya did, hon,” Scarlett said as she scooted back a bit. “It wasn’t a bad one, but you’ll have a headache for a bit now that I’ve got it taken care of.”

“Thanks,” she said and sat up leaning against me. “What the hell did we do?”

“I think the whole bonding thing is completely sealed,” I said as I rubbed her back. “I’ve got a real strong bond with each of you now.”

“How can you tell,” Clarke asked.

I smiled, “Well, Dani can’t stop thinking about Scarlett’s tits. You’re trying to remember exactly how Lexa hit her head. And Scarlett is concerned about Lexa’s head.”

“And you’re starting to think about food,” Dani said, smiling.

“I’m starving,” I said matter-of-factly. “You think you can walk over to the compound, Lex?”

“Yeah,” she answered, “Why?”

“I’d actually like to get out of here and into some sunshine.”

“You’re saying, you’re not afraid to step outside the door,” Clarke asked.

“Nope. I’m actually kinda getting antsy from being underground for so long. Scarlett, am I cleared medically to leave here?”

She looked me over and nodded, “Fit as a fiddle, you are, Nyx. Yeah, you’re sound enough to leave. How’s your noggin’?”

“Wolf pups and butterflies,” I answered her. “I’m not feeling any anxiety other than the need to get out of here.”

“Then let’s get dressed and blow this popsicle stand,” Clarke said, getting up slowly.

“Blow this popsicle stand?”

She blushed, “It means let’s get out of here.”

“I figured,” I said as I helped Lexa stand, “but I don’t remember having ever heard that before.”

“Um, I spent a lot of time watching really old tv shows growing up. So, I kinda picked some weird phrases here and there, but you gotta promise me that you won’t tell Octavia about this. She’ll just give me shit about it.”

Dani chuckled, “Your secret is safe with us, but you’ve now given us exclusive rights to give you shit about it.”

“Shit.”

“It’s only fair,” I said, grinning. “They give me shit over the way I like my meat. We give Dani shit for her sexual endeavors. Oh, and we give Lexa shit for…wait what do we give her shit about, Dani?”

“You know,” she said thinking, “I don’t think we ever did find something.”

“Cause I’m perfect,” Lexa replied.

“Now I remember,” I said giving her a mischievous smile, “We used to give her shit about insisting that we call her Commander when we were little, just because she was going to be de Pakstoka one day.” 

“No,” Dani said, “It was because she insisted on us calling her _Heda_.”

“I did no such thing,” she lamented. “I never insisted you calling me anything.”

“Whatever you say, _Heda_ ,” I teased. “Come on let’s get you dressed. I’m still hungry.”

We all moved slowly as we got dressed, some of us limping, but we eventually made it outside of the bunker. I squinted my eyes until they adjusted, but it still felt too bright. Lexa was greeted by everyone that we passed and she just simply waved. After what seemed like forever, we finally arrived at the gates. We were greeted by more guards and then we finally found sanctuary in the kitchen.

I sat down heavily on a chair and laid my arms and head across the table and moaned in pain.

“What the fuck did we do,” I bemoaned as Scarlett and Dani began making food.

“I don’t know,” Clarke said, her chin propped up by her hand, “But I don’t think I want to do it again.”

Dani snorted and replied, “Yeah, right. I may not want to do it any time in the near future, but maybe in a year I’d be game to do it again.”

“Fuck, sugar,” Scarlett said, “I don’t even remember a damn thing that happened.”

“All I know, is at some point I said cuttlefish and then whacked my head,” Lexa said as she tried to stay upright.

I snorted, “Cuttlefish.”

“What? It was the last word I remembered saying.”

Dani snorted, too, “Cuttlefish.”

Lexa just rolled her eyes and I started sniggering and then outright laughing. Clarke started laughing and then everyone got into it.

“Stop, stop,” Lexa said through the laughing and tried to control herself, “Shush. We gotta be serious, don’t we?”

“Sure, _Heda_ ,” I said and started laughing again, which got everyone laughing until something started burning.

“Shit,” Dani cried out and quickly dumped the burning skillet into the sink.

“Was that food,” I lamented.

“That was food,” she said sadly.

“More food,” Clarke asked, hopefully.

Scarlett opened up the fridge and pulled out a cake.

“Ooh, cake,” Lexa said, suddenly perking up. “Gimme.”

“Cake is not food,” Scarlett said, holding the cake high.

“I don’t care. It’s cake. I want cake.”

“If I put the cake on the table, Lexa, you’ve got to promise to share.”

Lexa pouted and I impulsively pulled her lower lip out and earned a glare for it, but I only smiled, “Cake later. Sandwiches first.”

“Fine,” she grumbled.

I got up and took the cake from Scarlett and placed it on the kitchen counter. I glared at Lexa as she stared hard at the cake. Dani and I started making the sandwiches as Scarlett found a jug of juice and glasses to pour it in. We made over a dozen sandwiches before we were satisfied with the amount and carried them over to the table. We all bowed our head in thanks, including Clarke, and grabbed the food and started wolfing it down between drinks of juice. I felt better as I ate and started slowing down as the hunger diminished.

“Now, can I have cake,” Lexa asked as she polished off the last bite of her last sandwich.

I nodded, “Sure, you can have cake, but you have to share, Lexa. The cake is meant to be shared.”

“Dammit,” she said, but got up and brought it to the table.

Clarke got up and got plates, forks and a knife to cut it with. Lexa cut herself a nice big slice, but Clarke grabbed it and took a bite out of it before Lexa could complain. So, Lexa cut another big piece and I nabbed it and handed it over to Dani. Lexa caught on and cut everyone a big slice.

“See, I shared,” Lexa said as she took a huge bite of cake.

“Yes, you did,” Clarke said and patted her on the head like you would a little kid.

Lexa glared at her, but Clarke only smiled and went back to eating the cake. We started hearing people coming into the house and I looked outside to see that it was starting to get dark.

“Damn, is it that late already,” I said.

Clarke looked behind her and out the window and said, “Yep. Looks like it.”

Just then Octavia, Nate and Sephy walked into the kitchen and stopped at seeing us. Sephy squealed and came over and hugged me tightly, nearly making me choke on cake. I started coughing and she quickly let me go, so I could drink something to drown the cake in.

“Why didn’t you tell me you guys were coming over,” Sephy said as she looked at all of us.

We looked at each other and only shrugged.

“Guess we forgot,” I said around another bite of cake.

“Wait, is that cake you’re eating,” Octavia demanded as she came up to the table.

“Um, yeah,” Clarke said, guiltily. “Were we not supposed to eat it?”

“Dammit,” she said, “That was supposed to be a surprise for Cora. It’s her birthday.”

“There’s still some left,” Lexa said helpfully.

“Seriously, guys,” Sephy said. “There was a note on it and everything.”

“There was,” Scarlett said, surprised. “There wasn’t one when I saw it in the fridge.”

Nate went and opened the fridge and stooped down to pick something up. He closed the fridge and held up a piece of paper.

“It must’ve fallen off,” he said. “Now, what’re we going to do. Cora’s been busting her ass all week and this was to say thank you and happy birthday.”

“Give me an hour and I’ll bake you a better cake,” Dani said, standing up. “Just don’t be mad at us, please. We didn’t know.”

“It better be a kickass cake,” Octavia said, glowering. 

“Trust me. It will be.”

Dani got started on the cake and the rest of us stared down at our plates in guilt. Lexa seemed unperturbed and was wetting her fingers to get the cake crumbs off of her plate.

“Seriously, Lexa,” I said looking at her.

“What, it’s good cake,” she said nonplussed. “Since Dani is making a new one, can I have the rest?”

“No,” we screeched at her and Scarlett grabbed the rest of the cake off of the table.

She held up her hands in surrender and said, “Geez, fine. No more cake for Lexa, apparently.”

Sephy laughed, “God, I forgot cake is a guilty pleasure for you.”

“So, I like cake. Doesn’t make it a guilty pleasure.”

“It does, if you won’t allow Chef to make it very often,” Dani said. “And when he does, he has to make a separate one just for you. Sometimes two.”

“Whatever.”

“Whatever my ass, _Heda_. Just admit it or you give us permission to give you shit about it for the rest of your eternal life.”

“Don’t call me that,” she said, glaring daggers at Dani’s back. “I will do no such thing. And I swear if you call me heda one more time, I’m going to kick your ass.”

Dani looked over her shoulder and said, “ _Heda_.”

Lexa screeched and tried to jump over the table to get to her, but Clarke and I grabbed her and shoved her down into the chair. Scarlett just eased out of her chair and stepped back from the table slowly so she wouldn’t get caught in the crossfire.

“Dani, you know you can’t pick on an invalid,” I said teasingly.

“I’m not an invalid,” she said to me, angrily. “I’m perfectly fine. Right, Scarlett?”

“Oh, no,” she replied, “I’m not getting within ten feet of y’all. I’m just go on up to my room and clean up.”

Lexa screeched at her and Scarlett took off. 

“And this is why you don’t have cake, Lexa,” I said seriously. “You get down right mean when you do.”

“Oh, yeah,” she said, suddenly relaxed. “I forgot.”

“Can we let you go now,” Clarke asked.

“Sure, sure, I’m good now.”

“Okay,” I said and slowly moved my arms away as Clarke did the same thing.

Just when we were almost in the clear, Lexa lunged up again and we had to grab her again and this time we landed on the floor with her pinned beneath us.

“Jesus Christ,” Octavia said as she looked on in shock. “Is she okay?”

I looked up at her and said, “Yeah. She’ll be fine. Just have to get her off of the sugar high she’s on.”

“That’s a sugar high,” Nate asked with disbelief.

“Hmm, oh yeah,” I said through gasps of air. “Like I said, she gets mean.”

“I am not mean,” Lexa shrieked.

Clarke looked at me and I shrugged, so she did the only thing she could think of, she kissed Lexa. Lexa fought it for the merest of a second before she started kissing her back and I felt her relax. I let go of her and got up shakily to my feet. Sephy helped me to a chair and I collapsed into it breathing hard.

“What the fuck,” Nate said as he watched them start to make out.

“Power of a lifemate,” Dani said as she poured the batter into cake pans. “Damn strong one too, if it only took less than a second.”

I looked over at her and said, “Did you actually try to time that?”

Dani shrugged and gave me a grin, “Why not.”

“God, you’re horrible, Dani.”

“I’m curious.”

“Hey, I’m not sure they’re gonna stop,” Octavia said bringing my attention back to Lexa and Clarke.

I got up and peered over the table at them and could tell it was about to turn into something more.

“You guys might want to leave the room,” I said as I walked over to the kitchen and found a large bowl to put water in.

“You’re not,” Sephy asked, horrified.

“I’m afraid so, Sis,” I replied as I turned on the faucet. “I’d get outta here quick.”

She grabbed Octavia and Nate’s arms and pulled them out of the kitchen.

“Don’t,” Dani begged. “It just getting to the good part.”

I quirked an eyebrow at her and said, “You know better.”

“Fine. Just let me get these pans in the oven first.”

I nodded and she got them in and set the timer. She ducked behind the counter and gave me a thumbs up. I shook my head and taking the water filled bowl, I dumped it out over them. They came up gasping as the water dripped down them in small deluges. I backed away quickly and watched them warily. I could see that Clarke wanted to use her lightning on me, but couldn’t because she’d electrocute herself, but Lexa had nothing to hold her back. Her hands ignited as she stared at me.

“Easy, Lexa,” I said, holding my hands up. “Fire doesn’t hurt me remember. And you can’t light this place up either.”

“Why. Did. You. Do. That,” she demanded with a steely voice.

I stood my ground and replied, “You were getting ready to go all out on the kitchen floor in front of Octavia, Nate, and Seph. I didn’t think you’d want them to see that.”

Clarke collapsed onto the floor and started laughing hysterically which got Lexa to calm down immediately and Dani to come out of hiding. I relaxed my stance and stepped forward.

“Um, you okay, Clarke,” Dani asked as she came to stand behind me, using me as a shield.

She shook her head as she continued to laugh. She said something to Lexa and got her to join in. Dani and I looked at each other very confused and could only stand there and watch them laugh their heads off.

“Um, what do we do,” Dani whispered.

“I don’t know,” I whispered back. “I’ve never seen this happen before.”

“Maybe, we should, um, get out of here, give them a few minutes?”

“That, um, sounds like a good idea,” I said and looked at her, “Did you remember to set the timer on the oven?”

“Yeah, yeah. We’ve got time to clean up.”

“Then let’s go,” I said and we turned simultaneously and left them in the kitchen laughing.

Dani and I climbed up to the third floor where our rooms were and I hesitated at my doorway. 

Dani saw the hesitation and said, “It’s been put back together, Nyx. You’ve got nothing to be worried about.”

I looked over at her, “I know, it’s just the memories, you know.”

“I know,” she said and wrapped an arm around me. “Look, I’ll go in with you and you’ll see.”

I nodded and taking a deep breath, turned the knob and opened the door. Dani switched on the light and it revealed that everything was back in it’s place and in one piece. I sighed and stepped further into the room and slowly turned around, taking everything in.

“You alright,” Dani asked.

I cleared my throat and thought about and said, “Yeah. Yeah, I’m alright. It’s just weird knowing what happened here and then seeing everything put back like it never happened, but you know it did.”

“Do you want me to stay while you get cleaned up and changed,” she asked as she stepped up to me and wrapped her arms around me.

I returned the embrace and said, “No. I’ve got this.”

“You sure?”

I smiled at her and kissed her gently on the lips, “Yeah.”

She kissed me back and said, “Okay. I’m just in the other room if you need me.”

I let her go and she left the room, closing the door softly. I took a shaky breath and started pulling clean clothes out of the drawers and headed into the bathroom. I took a long shower as I relaxed under the pounding water pressure. When I was done, I wiped the condensation off of the mirror and looked at myself. I probably shouldn’t have, but I did it anyway and I wasn’t happy at what I saw. I was nothing but skin, bone, and muscles. My stomach bulged slightly from the meal, but everything else was barely recognizable. I couldn’t believe I’d let myself get this far. I couldn’t believe that I’d let them see me like this. I wanted to get angry, but I couldn’t. Wouldn’t. I memorized myself looking like this to remind myself in the future of what happens when you don’t ask for the help when you know it’s getting bad. I didn’t want to get like this ever again. I didn’t want to put my family through this again. Or my friends. So, I swore to myself that I wouldn’t. 

I brushed out my hair and braided it carefully. I stepped out of the bathroom and dressed carefully as well. I felt like I was putting on armor, but not to protect myself. It was more like an affirmation. A promise. That this was a new beginning. My slate wiped clean and I was ready to move forward and put the past behind me, but not forgetting the past. I had control. Not my memories.

Satisfied, I left the room and knew that I could return here at anytime and not feel the guilt and pain that I had left it in. I smiled to myself and knocked on Dani’s door. She opened it up and I slid inside, closing it behind me. She quirked an eyebrow at me and I smiled as I took her into my arms and kissed her. I walked her backwards to her bed and pushed her gently down. She looked at me, desire already burning in her eyes. I slowly undressed and when I was naked, standing before her, she reached up and pulled me down to her and into a kiss that spoke volumes of love and support.

 

When we came back down into the kitchen, Lexa and Clarke had vacated the space and the timer had just gone off. Dani went and pulled the cake pans out and let them cool as she got the frosting ready. I just leaned against the counter and watched her do her own special magic in the kitchen. Scarlett came in and hugged me from behind and kissing me behind the ear. I closed my eyes and leaned back into her.

“You’re feeling more relaxed, darlin’,” she said quietly as we watched.

“I am,” I replied. “It’s starting to feel like home again.”

“I’m sorry that I’ve got leave tomorrow.”

“Don’t be, Scar. You have a business to run. Just be careful. You’ve got a very distinctive buggy and if Ice Pack’s watching the border, they can follow you easily.”

“I’ll be careful, Nyx. I’ve already called up a few friends and they’ve agreed to help keep an eye on me.”

“Good. I don’t want to lose you.”

She chuckled, “It’ll be a cold day in hell before that ever happens, hon. You just worry about saving your pack.”

“You are my pack, Scar. So, I’m going to worry about saving you, too.”

“I know. Especially, now,” she said as she wrapped her arms tighter around me. “I love you, Nyx.”

“I love you, too.”

“If y’all are done be mushy over there, can you give me a hand,” Dani said.

I laughed, Scarlett let me go and we helped Dani finish the cake.

_Seph, the cake’s ready_ , I said to her.

_Great, just bring it into the dining room. The meal’s just about over._

_Alright._

“They want us to bring it into the dining room,” I told Dani.

“Perfect. Scarlett can you give me a hand,” she asked, which made me a little hurt but I understood.

I trailed behind them as they carried the huge cake out into the dining room and we were met with cheers and table pounding. We saw Cora and they headed straight for her and laid it down in front of her. As they stepped back, the entire room started singing “Happy Birthday” and making her blush. I cheered with the others as she got up and bowed at the group.

I felt Sephy come up behind me and wrap an arm around my waist and she said, “That’s an even bigger cake than we had before. How’d Dani do it?”

“I have no clue, but I seriously think she should branch out from the wine and start her own restaurant someday.”

“She’s an amazing chef and baker.”

“She is.”

“I hear Lexa and Scarlett are leaving in the morning.”

“Yeah. Lexa’s got to head back to call an emergency Council meeting and Scarlett’s got to get back to her own clinic. I’m glad that they came here to help me.”

“Are you upset that Lexa and Clarke are lifemates?”

“I was, but I’m not anymore. There’s a reason why they were chosen. I was just meant to bring them together.”

“That’s interesting. Got any idea why?”

“Not a clue. I’ve only been getting tiny niblets of clues as to what’s going to happen. All I know, is that that it’s going to involve the five of us and the pack. Beyond that, nothing but speculation.”

“Well, I’m glad She picked you and not me,” she said as she squeezed me on last time and let me go. “Your life is way to fucking complicated.”

I smiled down at her and said, “No kidding. I don’t think any could have survived this long if they weren’t me. But, I know I’ll get through it as long as I got my family, my friends, and my pack.”

“You fucking better,” she said as she looked up at me sharply. “I’m getting tired of hearing that you died, but were brought back. It’s getting tiresome. I would like to enjoy what’s left of my childhood of irresponsibility.”

I chuckled, “I’ll try, Sis. I promise, I will try.”

“Better. Now, if you’ll excuse me I’m going to grab some cake before it’s gone.”

I gave her a quick hug and shooed her on her way. I looked around the room and spotted just the person I needed to speak with. I made my way over to her and grabbed her attention.

“Nyx,” Raven said, giving me a hug. “You’re out and about already?”

I smiled and shrugged, “Can’t keep an old dog down for long, Raven. Can I speak with you privately for a moment?”

“Yeah, sure,” she said and we moved into the hallway and out of earshot of everyone. “What’s up?”

“I need you to do me a couple of favors,” I said. “First, I need you to get with Ben and get a schematic for a power reader from him. Then I need you to amp up the readings to at least 1000 times of where it pegs out. I’ll tell you why in a second. Next, I need a temporary camera implant or a camera that can withstand world ending disasters. And lastly, I need you to remove the inhibitor disc in the morning.”

“And why am I doing all of this,” she asked curiously.

“I need to test exactly how powerful I am. I already peg the standard power readers out, so I need something stronger to read my true strength. The reason for the camera is to record exactly what I can do when I really let loose. That’s why I need the inhibitor removed.”

“So, why is testing your power levels so important.”

“The Bear King is planning something that involves Jaha. It would be a very bad thing for everyone in the territory and I mean everyone. I need to make sure that I can pull off something that requires a lot of power and a lot of concentration if I want to keep everyone safe.”

“What is it you want to do?”

“I want to completely shield and ward off the territory from everyone, so that no one can get in except at the border gates.”

“But you can’t build a shield.”

“I can’t, but you, Monty, and Ben can. It’s going to be the largest shield you’ll ever make and what I want to do will build the foundation that you can build the shield on. So can you do that for me? The reader, camera, and take off my inhibitor.”

“Yeah, of course,” she said, her eyes lighting up in excitement. “When do you want to do this?”

“Around 8 in the morning. Can you get everything ready by then?”

“You bet your ass I can. Where do you want to do it?”

“My hospital room in the bunker.”

“Wait, in the bunker. Don’t you think it’ll be better to do it outside where there’s space?”

“No, I need a controlled environment to do this. Once I get a ward up around the room, I can control my power from leaking outside of the room.”

“I’ll trust you on that,” she said. “I’ll see you there at 8.”

“Thank you and trust me you’re not going to want to miss this,” I said with a grin.

“Damn, and I thought I was up there on the confidence ladder, but I think you just beat me.”

“You have no idea,” I said and with a quick hug I left and went to find my women.

I found them lounging in Lexa’s sitting room of her suite. I leaned against the door frame and watched them a moment.

“I could swear, I’ve seen something like this before,” I said as I walked into the room.

“Where’ve you been, Nyx,” Lexa asked.

“I needed to chat with Raven about something,” I replied and sat on the couch next to Scarlett.

“Oh, anything good?”

“Well, I think it’s good, but I don’t know how y’all will feel about it.”

“What do you mean,” Clarke asked, face creased in worry.

“Tomorrow morning, before the two of you leave, I want to test the extent of my powers.”

“You can’t be serious,” Lexa said, sitting up straight. “You’re not ready.”

“No, I’m not and that’s why after I’m done, the inhibitor goes right back on. This is something I have to do, in front of you and Clarke, before we have the joint council meeting.”

“You want to see if you are really powerful enough to do what you suggested,” Dani said as she leaned back in the couch.

“Yes,” I said, nodding. “If I am, it gives us a viable solution. If I’m not, then we figure something else out. It’s not going to hurt to try. It’ll be in a controlled setting and the room will be warded to keep any of my power leaking through to where I could damage or hurt anyone.”

“You’re confident that your ward will hold you,” Lexa asked.

“Yes, I have to be. If I don’t, I’ll bring the whole bunker down on me and the humans.”

“Hold up,” Scarlett said. “You want to do it in the bunker?”

“In my hospital room. It’s safest place to do it.”

“Oh, you have got to be shitting me, Nyx,” she said, clearly exasperated. “Do you have a death wish or something?”

I turned to look at her and said, “No, I don’t. If I didn’t think I could handle it or that I was sure that I wasn’t powerful enough, I wouldn’t do it. I wouldn’t risk my life or the humans to try and stoke my ego. I can do this and I will. That’s why Raven is building a super power reader and a camera that will record what I can do. You guys have to trust me on this.”

“Are you sure that you can do this,” Clarke asked me.

I turned to look at her and replied, “Yes. I am. This is how I save our people.”

“Alright, then,” she said as she leaned back in her chair. “Do it.”

I smiled in relief, but I could still see the worry and fear in her eyes, “Thank you, Clarke.”

Lexa sighed and closed her eyes briefly and then said, “Alright, Nyx. You have my permission to do it.”

I looked at her and tilting my head to the side, “I’d have done it anyway without your permission, Lexa, but thank you for giving it. I just wanted to let you know what I was planning.”

She looked at me stunned, got up and walked over to me and said, “You don’t need my permission?! I am your _Pakstoka_. _de Pakstoka!_ You are proposing to do something that could cost us over a hundred deaths, and you don’t need my permission to do it?! Are you out of your fucking mind?!”

I stood up and faced her, matching her look for look, and said to her in a cold and deadly voice, “You are only my _Pakstoka_ , because you needed me to be your Second so that I could finish the cure. You hired me to find out what happened to your people and bring them back alive. I have done both. Of my own free will, I have decided to help you keep the Coalition out of your territory by any means necessary. Because of the shit that happened 8 years ago, I had a complete and total mental breakdown. I have died twice because of it. Just because we love one another, does not give you the right to dictate what I do or don’t do. If I am willing to put my life in danger to help you keep your pack safe, I suggest you back the fuck off and let me do my fucking job. If you won’t, then I’m fucking out of here and you can figure this shit out on your own. Because I am done. I didn’t rebuild my life nor fight to live, just to have it snuffed out because you refused to see what was in fucking front of you the whole fucking time.”

We stood there staring each other down, neither one of us willing back down. I could feel her trying to assert her authority on me, but I didn’t feel even the slightest urge to accept it. Since she seemed intent on playing that way, I asserted my own dominance over her and I saw her wince at the feeling as she tried to fight it off. I took one step forward and we were nose to nose as she tried to fight me off.

There was a noise in the background and I felt myself being shocked by Clarke’s lightning, but it did nothing to me. She tried again with a much more powerful shock, again nothing. A third time she ramped up even higher and again nothing. Then I felt Dani hit me with a huge blast of air and all I did was bend a little from the impact. Now, they were beginning to understand just how powerful and dangerous I was. I could feel their fear in the back of my mind through our bonds and I was sorry for it, but I wasn’t going to back down, not for something this important.

I suddenly staggered as I felt my heart skip several beats and dropped to a knee. I looked over at Clarke and saw a small ball of lightning in her palm. I got back onto my feet as I looked at her and she shook her head, pleading with me to stop. I looked around and saw Scarlett and Dani trying to stand on their own two feet, fighting the wave of power and dominance coming from me. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, before I reeled it back into me. There was a collective gasp as I wrapped it tightly within me. Lexa staggered and I caught her and sat her down on the couch. I felt Clarke feed me the electricity she had pulled from me. When it was done, I strode out of the room and headed to the obstacle course, where I immediately shifted and started running it.


	42. Clarke

I went straight for Lexa as soon as Nyx left the room and forced her to look at me.

“Lex,” I asked worriedly, “are you alright?”

Her eyes focused on me and she took a deep shuddering breath, “Yeah. I just never knew.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Scarlett and Dani collapse on the couch and take in huge gulps of air.

“Never knew what,” I asked, concerned.

“Exactly, how powerful she is,” Dani answered breathlessly.

Lexa nodded, “If she had really wanted to be de Pakstoka 8 years ago, she didn’t need to kill all of those people, she just needed to do what she just did and everyone would have bowed down to her.”

I heard pounding footsteps and I looked up to see Sephy, Octavia, and Nate rush in the door. They took one look around and Nate went straight to Scarlett and Dani, while Octavia and Sephy came over to us.

“What just happened,” Sephy asked as she kneeled in front of us.

“Nyx just happened,” I replied. “Did you feel something?”

“All the weres did,” Octavia replied. “We all dropped to our knees and couldn’t get up.”

“What did Nyx do,” Sephy asked.

“She just showed Lexa exactly how powerful she is. She showed us,” I replied.

“Why did she do that?”

“Because she told me that she didn’t need my permission to do what she wants to do in the morning and I took exception to that,” Lexa said as she leaned up against me and I wrapped an arm around her to support her.

“What does she want to do in the morning?”

“She wants to take off the inhibitor disc and figure out if she really has limitless power like Mother Earth told her she had,” Scarlett said.

“So, she didn’t use any powers at all just now?”

“No,” Dani replied, shaking her head. “That was pure dominance we all felt.”

“And it all came from her,” Nate asked, confused.

“That was all her. I couldn’t even feel Lexa exerting hers and I know she was.”

“Why did she feel the need to even do that,” Octavia asked as she sat beside me.

Lexa sighed and replied, “Because I tried to exert my dominance over her and she didn’t even flinch.”

“She didn’t even move when I shocked her as hard as I could or when Dani tried to use her wind on her. She shook everything off. Like it was nothing.”

“How did you get her to stop,” Sephy asked.

“I actually had to pull some of the electric current from her heart,” I replied.

She looked at me surprised and said, “You can do that?”

I nodded, “Nyx showed me how I can pull electricity from anything that produces an electrical current, including people. So, that’s what I did. I think I made her heart skip a few beats and she fell to one knee, but she was able to stand back up.”

“So, where is she now?”

“Out back,” Lexa replied. “I can feel her out there.”

“Wait, I don’t understand something,” Octavia said. “If she has the inhibitor disc on that means that she can’t use her powers, right? So, how did she not react when you used your powers on her without using a telekinetic shield?”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Lexa replied. “I could see Clarke using hers and feel the power coming from her, but it just what? Rolled off her? She absorbed it?”

“It was more like it dissipated as soon as it touched her,” Scarlett said. “The only effect that Dani had was that she swayed underneath the gust of wind.”

“And that was just under hurricane strength wind, too,” Dani replied. “I’ve never seen someone able to withstand that level without being blown across the room.”

“Should we be worried,” Octavia asked.

Lexa shook her head and replied, “No. I don’t believe so. She did it to remind me that even though I’m currently her _Pakstoka_ , she doesn’t have to necessarily follow my orders if she doesn’t want to and I can’t force her to.”

“She made it quite clear that the reason why she’s still here is because she wants to keep the territory safe from the Coalition and Ice Pack,” Dani said. “She threatened to leave if Lexa tried to force her to do something she didn’t want to.”

Sephy shot Dani a look and said, “She threatened to _leave_?! Why?”

“Because I said that being in the pack and her taking up her duties as Second was only temporary. She used that against me,” Lexa said, sadly.

“Why would you tell her it was temporary,” Sephy asked incredulously.

Lexa sighed and looking Sephy straight in the eyes, replied, “At the time I didn’t know if she wanted back in or that the Council would allow her to become Second permanently if she decided to rejoin the pack. We, I needed her to come back into the pack and become Second again. I was beginning to think she wanted to stay, but maybe I was wrong.”

“If she wants to leave, there’s nothing we can do or say to convince her to stay,” Dani said glumly.

“Not even your bonds with her?”

“No,” Lexa answered quietly.

“But she’s willing to stay and help us,” Sephy asked hopefully.

“I don’t know.”

“Fuck. We can’t let her leave. Not now. Not ever,” Sephy whispered and I saw the heartbreak in her face. “I’m not going to lose her again. Not this time.”

With a look of determination, Sephy got up and strode out of the room quickly.

“Where’s she going,” Octavia asked.

“She’s going to give Nyx a piece of her mind,” Dani answered.


	43. Nyx

I finally stopped running the obstacle course and I found myself feeling disappointment. I looked up at the second story of the house and found Lexa’s windows. I momentarily wondered if I had made a mistake, threatening to leave like that. In all good conscience, I couldn’t leave them to face it alone, but when Lexa had said the word permission, I became annoyed.

“NYX,” someone roared at me.

I peered through the dark and saw Sephy stomp towards me.

“What,” I yelled back.

She didn’t answer, but came straight at me and her body language told me she was beyond angry with me. I leaned against a log, crossed my arms, and waited for her.

“WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING,” she yelled when she was about ten feet away from me.

“I was running the obstacle course,” I answered, perplexed.

“I’m not talking about that,” she angrily seethed.

“Then what are you talking about?”

“You threatened to leave!”

“And? I have every right to.”

“You do not get to leave,” she said, poking me in the chest with every word.

“Says who? Lexa,” I asked starting to get annoyed.

“No. Says me.”

I sighed, “It’s not like I can’t come visit you. She rescinded the banishment and kill order.”

“You need to finish what you started.”

“What I started,” I said and stood up straight. “I didn’t start anything. The damn Manassas bunker did by coming out. Lexa hired me to find out what happened to her people and get them out of Manassas. I did. She temporarily brought me back into the pack to finish the cure. She didn’t have to make me Second to do that. I finished the cure and saved the fucking humans. I’ve done everything she wanted me to do. I have no obligations to stay and help her solve this problem, regardless of what Mother Earth told me. If I want to leave, I can and no one can stop me.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

“No, I’m not. I never intended to come back into the pack, Seph. I never intended to become Second again.”

“I don’t understand why?”

“Seph, someone tried to kill me as soon as I got to the mansion. Lincoln made me want to kill myself. Clarke killed me once. My own body killed me. Why would I want to stay in a place where everyone wants to kill me.”

“Not everyone. Not me.”

I sighed, “I know that. I also know that people are happy that I’m here, but it doesn’t change the fact that I have been in a life or death situation ever since I got here. It doesn’t matter that I’m bonded to four women that I love with all of my heart. It isn’t enough to make me want to stay. The only thing keeping me here is the fact that I want to help them get through this.”

“Does that mean you’ll leave after all of this is over,” Sephy said with tears in her eyes.

“I don’t know,” I said softly. “All I know is that I have to finish what was started. I can’t do that if I’m stopped from doing what needs to be done. I need to test exactly how powerful my powers are in order to give the councils a viable solution that will keep everyone safe. To give them a chance to figure out what to do with the humans.”

“And what’s your viable solution?”

“To completely seal off the Forest Pack territory from the outside world. To prevent the Ice Pack from destroying the pack and to keep the Coalition from invading and taking over the territory.”

“And you’re the only one who is possibly the most powerful mage that can pull it off.”

“Yes, with the help of all three of our techno mages.”

“Which is why you want to test exactly how much power you actually have.”

“Yes.”

“And since you just came out of your coma, you’re just now mentally healthy, but seriously underweight, Lexa doesn’t want to risk it.”

“Yes. None of them do. That’s why when Lexa gave me her ‘permission’ and tried to exert her dominance over me, I showed her that I was the dominant one and didn’t need her permission or anyone else’s.”

“Did you realize that by doing so, you affected the entire compound?”

I shook my head, “No, I didn’t. I just wanted Lexa to stay long enough to witness what would be recorded and show her why I know I can do it.”

“But you don’t know if you’ll stay or not or join the pack once it’s over.”

“Yes,” I said and pulled her into a hug. “I have to figure out if that’s what I want to do, even though I was warming up to the ideas.”

“You were?”

I chuckled, “Yes, I was but I’m not so sure anymore. I missed being part of a pack and I missed being Second. I hadn’t realized exactly how much until Lexa gave them to me. It also doesn’t negate the fact that once this is over, I still have to deal with the Coalition and my contract with them.”

“So, what do you do now?”

“I do what I’m planning on doing. Tomorrow morning, I’m testing my powers. If they come, they come. If they don’t, then it tells me that they have no confidence in me and I will leave once this is over or if they shoot my idea down, I leave.”

“Just like that.”

“Just like that,” I said, looking down at her. “I can’t stay if the people I love no longer support me, Seph. No matter their intentions. I’m sorry.”

She squeezed me tight and I could feel her tears through my shirt, “Okay, but I’ll be there.”

I stepped back a little and raised her head to look at me, “Thank you.”

“Are you going to go back to them tonight?”

“No.”

“I think you’re making a mistake.”

“I want them to understand that they hurt me, Seph. I didn’t want to show my dominance, I wanted them to support me and be there for me. I understand that they’re afraid and my heart goes out to them, but I need to do this.”

“I get it,” she said and stepped away and taking my hand. “Then it would be a good idea to get as much rest as possible.”

I chuckled softly and said, “You’re right. Let’s go.”

She walked with me hand in hand all the way up to my bedroom. I gave her one last hug and closed the door behind me.


	44. Lexa

We sat there in stunned silence, none of us knowing what to say. I felt guilt and anger over what had just happened. For the first time, any doubt that I had over what happened 8 years ago, was gone. She just showed me that she didn’t have to kill anyone if she really wanted to take over as _de Pakstoka_. All she needed to do was show us her dominance and I would’ve handed it to her.

Sephy came back into the room and sat down in an armchair and said, “She’s staying for now.”

“Oh, thank god,” Dani exclaimed and slumped back into the couch. 

“Is she still planning on doing it tomorrow,” Clarke asked.

Sephy looked at Clarke and in all seriousness, “Yes, she is. She only told y’all what she was planning because she wants your support by being there.”

“But it’s too risky,” I said. “She could die and bring the entire bunker down, killing over a hundred humans and Apex.”

“She knows this, but she is confident in what Mother Earth told her. She can’t think in any other way. By you not supporting her, you’re hurting her and she’ll lose confidence in herself.”

“How can we support something like this?”

“How can you not? She’s putting her life on the line again to save the pack. To save the humans. She’s been through hell and back a second time and she’s not running away from doing what needs to be done,” Sephy said angrily.

“You just said why we can’t support this,” Scarlett said. “She’s just been through hell and back. She needs more time to recover.”

“We don’t have time, Scarlett! That’s the point. We don’t have until Spring to figure this shit out. We have maybe two weeks to keep the Ice Pack out. Then we can hash out the real reason why she’s here.”

“Saving the humans,” Clarke said quietly.

“Yes,” she said nodding. “Saving the humans. If you won’t let her help, she’ll leave and everything we’ve been working towards becomes 10x harder. We’ll probably fail and will have to kill the humans that aren’t paired with the Apex. And Ice Pack will be on our front doorstep with the Coalition behind them.”

“So, what do we do?”

“You go tomorrow and show her that you believe in her. It’s as simple as that. You don’t show, then she knows how you feel and she’ll leave.”

“How we feel,” I said, incredulously. “We love her and don’t want to lose her.”

“That’s not enough for her. She’s died twice. Nearly died a third time. Lost her mind. And each time, she’s wanted to stay alive and finish this. Now you want to deny her the chance at a solution that may end up being our only choice. Isn’t that selfish?”

“How can you say that,” Dani demanded. “We just want to keep her safe.”

“By keeping her away from the things that only she’s capable of doing,” Sephy scoffed. “Just because you love her and want to keep her safe, doesn’t mean that you can keep her from doing the things that only she’s capable of. No matter how well your intentions are, you’re putting fetters on her. Look, I want to keep her as safe as much as you do, but she has shown me no reason why I can’t support her or lose my confidence in her. She’s done what she says she does and done more than what was asked of her. She’s never had to prove herself to anyone, because you knew she’d do what needed to be done. Hell, she’s given up her life to us multiple times and never cried or whimpered or just up and left. She has stayed after everything that’s happened to her.”

“She’s right,” Clarke said. “We can’t all of a sudden say no because we’re afraid. We’ve all been there for her through everything.”

“Good,” Sephy said, standing up. “She’s gone to bed and I hope that I’ll see you in the morning. I’m going to bed because I’m not going to miss this.”

She left and we all looked at each other.

Scarlett sighed and said, “Dammit. I hate this.”

“Maybe we should go to her,” Dani said quietly.

“I don’t know if I can do that,” I said. “I’m not sure I’m strong enough.”

Clarke hugged me and said, “Baby, you’re not the only one who feels that way, but shouldn’t we at least try.”

“I know I’m not a part of y’all’s pack,” Scarlett said carefully, “But after what you’ve told me about her and knowing what she’s done and been through, maybe we’re wrong.”

“Look, you do what you think is right,” Dani said standing up, “but I’m going up there and I’m going to apologize and I’m going to show her that I was wrong.”

“I’m coming with you,” Scarlett said and they left together, leaving me and Clarke.

“I think we should go with them,” Clarke said softly. “I don’t like this any more than you do, but Sephy’s right. We are putting her in a cage by not supporting this.”

“We’ve just got her back,” I said, tears streaming down my face. “I’m not sure if I can survive losing her.”

“That’ll only happen if this fails, but we have to let her try. We have to be there for her. She could have kept this from us, but she didn’t.”

I sniffled loudly and Clarke wiped the tears from my face and I said, “You’re right.”

She kissed me gently, “Then let’s show her.”

I nodded and we got up to join the others. When we got up there, Dani and Scarlett were waiting for us.

“You didn’t go in,” I asked.

Dani shook her head and Scarlett replied, “We were waiting for you.”

The door opened wide and Nyx said, “And I was waiting for you all.”

We went into the room and showed her how sorry we were and that we supported her.


	45. Lexa

We woke up early and followed Nyx down into the kitchen for breakfast. Sephy met us there with Octavia and Nate. We quietly ate and we were soon off to the bunker. Still silent, we removed everything from the room and then waited for Raven.

Raven came down the hallway and stopped short at seeing our small crowd, but then came the rest of the way.

“I wasn’t expecting this many people,” she joked.

“Don’t worry,” Nyx said with a smile. “They’re not going in there with me. Lexa and Clarke need to see this. The rest are here for the show.”

“Well, then,” she said and handed Nyx two tablets. “Let me set up the room before we get started.”

She walked in and quickly set up some cameras in the corners of the room. When she came back out, she held up a syringe to Nyx.

“We’ll get your POV with this little baby,” she said.

“Is it going to stay there for life,” Nyx asked warily.

Raven chuckled, “No. I have no desire to witness your sex life. It dissolves after 24 hours.”

She grinned, “You know you’ll be missing great views.”

“Nope. Naked women are not my cup of tea.”

“I could probably change your mind,” she flirtatiously teased making Raven swallow thickly and making Dani chuckle.

“Now’s not the time, Nyx,” Dani said.

Nyx looked up at her and pouted, “But we could have fun, you and I, introducing her to a whole new level.”

“True,” Dani said saucily. “Maybe another time.”

“Um, excuse me,” Raven said after she cleared her throat, clearly uncomfortable being discussed in such a manner. “I’m right here, you know. And my sex life is my own, thank you very much.”

Nyx feigned disappointment and said, “Fine, but you’re missing out. Just ask Clarke.”

I looked at Clarke who was blushing a brilliant shade of red and tried to stammer out a reply. I hugged her close to me and she hid her head in my shoulder.

“Look, what you’ve done,” Scarlett exclaimed. “You’ve embarrassed her.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll make it up to her later,” Nyx replied with a wink.

Raven sighed loudly and said, “Do you want to do this or do you want to have sex right now.”

“Is that an offer?”

“Nyx, enough,” I said. “Stop flirting and get on with this.”

“Aye, aye, _heda_ ,” she said and turned her attention back to Raven. “Stick me.”

Raven rolled her eyes and injected the implant in the base of her skull. I was surprised that Nyx didn’t even wince.

“Shirt,” Raven said and Nyx lifted her shirt and she wrapped a band around it before flipping it on.

“Alright,” Raven said. “Now let me just check the feeds…okay we’re good to go there. Ready for the inhibitor to come off?”

“Let’s get into the room first,” she said. “And then make sure you book it out of there as soon as it’s off. I don’t know how my powers will react once they’re active again.”

Her eyes widened and she said, “Okay, then. Let’s get to it.”

They walked into the room and we watched as Nyx stood in the middle of the room and Raven reached up to the inhibitor. As soon as the inhibitor was off we all felt a surge building. Raven booked it and slammed the door behind her.

We watched on the screen as she closed her eyes and rolled her shoulders as her powers returned. When we felt the surge lessen, she opened her eyes and stared at the door. 

“She’s warding the room,” Dani said quietly. “She’s making sure nothing can come out of there.”

“Damn,” Raven said. “It’s the entire room, every inch of it.”

When it was completely warded there was a little pop and it seemed as if there was no sound. I wiggled my finger in my ear and realized my hearing wasn’t being affected. She had made a void where the ward should be.

“I didn’t know you could do that,” Scarlett said in awe.

“What do you mean,” Clarke asked.

“Essentially, if we didn’t know that it was there or looking right at it, the room wouldn’t be visible. It’d be nothing but a wall. She’s created a void,” Dani answered.

“Are you getting anything on the power meter,” I asked Raven.

She showed it to us and said, “It’s showing that her level is just showing a base line on a normal reader.”

We saw the room begin to shake and watched as her power level surged and columns of ground and concrete shot up, including into her. We gasped as we watched her get swallowed up, but the power meter was still climbing and we felt that she was still alive. It surged higher still as the cameras became obscured. Still climbing, something made me look at the window of the door and I saw a hand emerge that was made up of dirt and concrete and give a thumbs up before it retreated.

“Holy fuck,” Scarlett gasped. “Did you see that.”

“She can fucking move in that,” Dani exclaimed.

I glanced quickly down at the reader and saw that the power was still climbing and nearly reaching the top.

“It’s still climbing,” Raven said in awe.

Suddenly it pegged out and it was several minutes before it started dwindling. When we could finally see the ground receding and and falling back into place without a crack or seam, Nyx was back to standing in the middle of the room and grinning huge.

“She hasn’t broken a sweat,” Clarke said astounded.

“One down, three to go,” Raven said.

“Three, but she has five?”

“Healers can’t heal themselves, sugar,” Scarlett explained. “There’s no way to test that on herself, but if each power pegs out like this one did, she’s just as powerful in that regard.”

“She’s starting again,” I said and everyone focused back on the screen.

She was creating metal out of thin air. It started off small and then began to grow exponentially. Soon it had swallowed her up, but it was still growing.

“Do you think it’s solid,” Raven asked.

“It has to be,” Dani said, pointing at the reader. “Look at the power reading.”

We did and saw that at the size it was, it was nearly pegged at the normal reader. It continued to grow until it was the size of the room and the reader was still climbing. I looked at the window expectantly and as the reader continued to climb, a metallic hand emerged again before it receded.

“Hey, what’s the view from her perspective,” Scarlett asked.

Raven switched views and it was like even Nyx’s eyes had changed to see in the metal. Everywhere she looked, there was nothing but solid metal. She brought up her hand to look at it and it was completely covered in metal. She looked like she was made of it.

The reader pegged out again and held before it started to recede. We continued to watch from Nyx’s view as she held out her hands and it looked like she pulled it back into herself and we watched as the metal on her arms just disappeared into her skin. She left several blocks of metal and shaped them into round balls.

“She’s going to test her telekinesis now,” Raven said.

We watched as the balls levitated and started orbiting her, going faster and faster until they were nothing but a blur. Then we watched as one shot out of orbit and headed straight for the wall, but it bounced back, zoomed back into the orbit and hit another ball and they both shot out hitting walls and careened into more balls until they were all flying around erratically. Nyx just stood there unperturbed as she watched the balls zipping around the room and bouncing off the walls. We watched horrified as a ball was coming straight at her, but she put up a telekinetic shield up and it bounced off of her. Another came at her and the effect was the same. As we watched the balls suddenly stopped moving and came at her all at once. When they neared her, they all bounced off of her shield at once and they began to ricochet off the walls and her. 

One hit her shield and shattered. She put it back together and sent it merrily on it’s way. This happened several more times, before she had them attack her all at once, shattering. She moved the pieces together and made a very large, very solid ball. Still in the air, she moved back against the opposite wall from where she had been and sent it flying at her. Watching horrified, we saw the impact with her shield and it blew apart and the shrapnel ricocheted off of the walls and each other. She walked back into the middle of the room and slowly levitated herself to the ceiling and flipped in mid-air and stood on the ceiling. She did a few dance moves, eliciting chuckles from everyone. Then she did some acrobatic flips, shifted mid jump and continued to run around the room. All while the shrapnel continued to ping around the room. She took a leap and shifted until she was standing in the middle of the room back into her human form.

She seemed to contemplate something and then there was a spark. Then another and another. Soon, each piece of shrapnel were sparking and we could see that when they neared one another there would be a shot of electricity and they’d push each other away.

I looked up at Clarke in surprise and she looked just as dumbfounded.

“She’s using my power,” Clarke whispered in shock.

“Can you feel any kind of drain,” I asked worriedly.

“I feel a slight pull, but nothing’s being drained. How?”

“I’d say she’s accessing your power just enough to make it her own through the bond,” Raven said.

“That’s impossible,” I said.

“Apparently not for her.”

“Holy fuck, look,” Scarlett said and we looked back at the screen.

The room was filled with shots of electricity as the shrapnel continued to move about faster and faster until there was nothing but electricity. We lost sight of her and turned to her POV. Again, her eyesight seemed to change and we could see every arc and the shrapnel still flying by. She held out her hand and we could see that she was suddenly made up of nothing but electricity.

“She’s pegged out again,” Raven said to no one in general.

She started to slow down the shrapnel and the shots began to recede until there was only slow flying pieces around.

“The pull’s gone,” Clarke said.

The pieces began coalescing until they were the big ball again. She placed her hands on either side of the ball and started pressing in. The ball became smaller as her hands came closer together until it disappeared between her hands. She turned her hands and removed the top one to reveal a small ball, which then flattened out and was absorbed back into her.

“Fire’s next,” I said.

Still holding her hand palm up, a slow fire began to burn. She shaped it into a ball and threw it up and caught in her other hand. She created several of these and started juggling.

“Okay, now she’s just showing off,” Dani grumbled and earned laughs from everyone.

When she got bored, she threw a ball at each of the four walls and the fire began spreading, covering the walls. The floor and ceiling caught on fire and soon the entire room was on fire, but the flames were only calf high. Being a fire mage, we didn’t need to worry about her going up in flames. The flames began building, but remained at the temperature that we saw normal flames burn. Soon, the entire room was nothing but flames. That was when we began to see the temperature rising and the color of the flame changed. When it was white hot, I felt a pull on my own power and knew that it was growing even hotter.

“She accessing mine now,” I said. “Same thing, I’m not feeling a drain.”

“The power is still climbing, she’s not done yet,” Raven supplied.

Once more she became the flame itself and walked over to the window that she could clearly see and shoved her hand so that we could see it and waved at us. When the hand receded and Nyx was back in the middle of the room, the fire suddenly became columns that began to dance around, sometimes passing through her and leaving her untouched. The temperature remained high as they continued to dance around, but this time when each column met another they absorbed into one. Soon we had a huge column moving slowly around until it stopped a few fee from her.

“Fuck, she’s got me now,” Dani said, awed.

“She’s making a frickin’ fire tornado,” Scarlett said. 

“By the way, it’s still climbing,” Raven said.

The flame started to whirl around and took the shape of a tornado. Her hair began to whip around as it got stronger and stronger. It began to move around and would occasional leave the floor before descending again, like a natural tornado would do. It suddenly burst apart into a dozen smaller tornados in different sizes. Small trees began to grow out of the ground and terrain began to emerge. Then a city appeared and we all gasped as we realized she had created a mini version of Manassas and the surrounding land. She moved outside the city and kneeled down to look at it all while the tornados floated in the sky. Raven switched the view back to Nyx’s and we saw tiny people walking around. Like we were seeing a live model of it.

She laid down and peered underneath the city where she had also replicated the bunker. Satisfied with what she saw, she got back up and the tornados descended and we watched in horror as they swept across the land, burning everything in their paths.

“Please tell me that she’s not really doing that,” Scarlett whispered in horror.

“She’s not,” Sephy replied. “I just checked. There’s actually snow falling outside.”

When the entire land was nothing but a charred wasteland and the city destroyed did I feel the pull go away and the tornado stopped, while the flames stayed on the ceiling. The landscape disappeared until there was only the concrete floor. The temperature of the flame died down and she pulled it down until it was a ball in the palm of her hand and she played around with it a little bit more before it disappeared back into her.

“That’s it,” Raven said. “That’s the last of the powers she can test without someone being in the same room as her.”

“My God, she doesn’t even look tired,” Scarlett said as she looked intently at the screen.

“You’re right,” Clarke looked at it. “She’s showing no signs that there was any kind of strain.”

“Which means that she does have the power to build a living landscape of the territory, create those poles, and ward the border,” I said, awestruck.

“The ward’s coming down,” Dani said.

When it was fully down, she emerged and leaned against the doorframe. There was no indication of her powers and she seemed completely relaxed.

“Well,” she asked.

“Nothing came out of the ward,” Raven said, “and you pegged out every time.”

Nyx raised her eyebrows up in surprise and said, “Seriously?”

“Every time,” Raven said with a wide grin.

“How do you feel,” Scarlett asked.

She looked over at her and said, “Perfectly fine. No strain. No exhaustion. Don’t even feel like I worked out. I’m starving, though”

“Come here,” Scarlett said and Nyx walked over to her where Scarlett placed her hand on her. “Normal heart rate, breathing is normal, everything’s intact. You’re perfectly fine.”

Nyx grinned and gave Scarlett a hug and kiss in an overly dramatic way.

“And how do you guys feel,” Nyx asked as she helped Scarlett stand upright and held onto her while she steadied herself.

“It was weird feeling the pull, but there was absolutely no drain on our powers,” I told her.

“That’s good, I was a little worried about that,” she answered.

“How did you know that you could do that,” Clarke asked.

She shook her head and replied, “I didn’t. Just had a feeling and I went with it.”

“That’s amazing,” Raven said and held up the inhibitor disc, “Want this back.”

“Yes, please,” she said and walked over to Raven who placed it back on. “Whoa, that’s killer.”

“Can’t feel anything,” I asked curiously.

“Nope. Can’t feel a damn thing, which is good. It means it works on someone like me. It’s fucking creepy as hell to feel a void where I know there shouldn’t be.”

“Speaking of voids,” Dani said as she slung an arm around her shoulders. “You created one when you warded the room.”

“I did,” she said, shocked. “Damn, ain’t that some shit.”

“That it is. That it is.”

“Raven, can you send the footage and readings to Ben, so that Lexa has it when she gets back?”

“Sure. That was incredible, by the way,” Raven said with a grin and shaking her head.

“I’ll take your word for it,” she replied.

“I’m glad you didn’t actually send fire tornados over the area,” I said.

“That wasn’t really a true living model,” she replied. “There was no way in hell, I’d risk destroying this place. When I make a real one, you’ll see the difference.”

“Now that’s over,” Sephy said, “How bout we head back to the compound and eat some real food.”

Nyx laughed and said, “Sounds like a solid plan, sis. I think my stomach is trying to eat my spine.”

Nyx looked very satisfied and was even back to flirting with Raven. Dani joined in and I could see Raven growing flustered at the attention. I had a feeling if Raven ever got drunk, she’d take them up on their offer.

Clarke and I had our arms wrapped around each other’s waist when I said, “You might want to keep an eye on Raven, love.”

“Why do you say that,” she asked curiously.

“If she gets drunk, she’ll more than likely take them up on their offers,” I said, chuckling. “And those two have a very high alcohol tolerance. They’ve drunk everyone that has ever challenged them under the table and could still hit a target straight in the middle and complete an obstacle course in record time.”

“And you know this how,” she said, smiling.

“They drank me under the table once and Indra made them immediately go through target practice with weapons and powers and then had them run the obstacle course twice. Once as a human and then again as a wolf. I wish I could have remembered that, but I saw it when Indra showed me the video. I wanted to punish them for the whole thing, but they just laughed it off and made me forget that I had a nasty hangover.”

Clarke laughed and kissed me, “Poor baby.”

“It was a night of complete embarrassment for me, especially since it was my birthday.”

“Oof, that’s just plain mean of them.”

“That’s what I said, but nope. They said that I challenged them and it was all fair,” I shook my head and smiling at the memory.

“Sounds like you guys had a lot of fun growing up,” she said wistfully.

“We did, I’m just sorry that it became harder to find the time to have fun when we all took up our duties. My mom and Nyx’s decided to retire at the same time and Dani’s father the year after.”

“How old were you when you became _de Pakstoka_?”

“Nyx and I were18 and Dani was 19. Strangely, I’m a day older than Nyx and two days older than Dani.”

“Wait, you guys were born that close together, too?”

“We are,” Nyx said as she leaned against the gate, waiting for us.

“Yeah,” Dani said. “Since conception, we’ve been together. Crazy, huh?”

“That is one word for it,” Clarke said, bemusedly.

“Birthday parties were a bitch for our parents, though. Had to make sure that all three of us were happy. For awhile, they had to buy three of everything so that we wouldn’t fight. Of course, that changed when we got older and developed more into our personalities.”

“Yeah, but we always found a reason to fight,” Nyx said with a smile. “Remember that year at the lake when I got that toy you’d been wanting. God, what was it?”

“It wasn’t a toy. It was a child-sized .45 handgun with cherry wood grips in black stainless steel,” Dani grumbled.

“Right, and you snatched it out of my hands and ran across the beach laughing like a mad loon.”

“Then you chased her and ran through the bonfire, scattering the logs everywhere. I had to join in to keep you both from killing each other,” I said, laughing.

“Then I yanked it out of Dani’s hands with my telekinesis and she tried to get it back by lifting me in the air and dropping me in the lake.”

“Yeah, well you dropped me in three foot hole first,” Dani said indignantly.

“Wait, how old were you guys,” Clarke asked bewildered.

“5, no wait, we turned six that year,” Nyx said, nodding her head. “Yeah, six.”

“You got a handgun for your sixth birthday?!”

“Yeah,” she said, “but I really wanted a pair of katanas.”

“Katanas and you were six?”

“Yes, Clarke,” I said giving her a hug. “Nyx wanted weapons early on. Dani wanted drones and guns. And I wanted a pony.”

“So, you were the only normal child.”

“Eh, not so much,” I said, smiling at her. “I wanted to run them over while riding it. They’ve always been faster than me as wolves, so I wanted to even the score.”

“But still, weapons at such a young age,” she said shaking her head in disbelief.

“Ah, now I understand,” I said, chuckling. “As soon as we can walk and run without falling over we begin training in fighting techniques and weapons. Nyx has always been far superior in that regards. But that’s par for course when it comes to being the next Second. Dani developed superior speed and I got the intelligence.”

“Yeah, we were actually banned from a lot of school teams and activities because of that,” Dani said wistfully. “I always wanted a room full of trophies, but I wasn’t allowed to go out for track or gymnastics. Nyx wasn’t allowed to try out for sports or competitive shooting. Lexa was banned from debate and anything scholastic.”

“High School was a bummer in that regards,” Nyx said. “Though, there were all those other competitions our parents never knew about.”

“They knew,” Indra said, startling us. “They just let you think they didn’t.”

“Fuck,” Dani said. “Did they know about everything we did.”

Indra nodded, “They did indeed, they just stayed in the background and let you be you.”

“Did they know about the time…,” I asked nervously.

“That you stole a buggy and went to Old Town the first time? They did and sent some guards to keep an eye on you.”

I hid my head in Clarke’s neck as Nyx and Dani groaned aloud.

Clarke had the audacity to laugh, so I nipped her in the neck and made her yelp. She slapped my head and I laughed.

“Lexa, if you plan on leaving today,” Indra said breaking through our reverie. “You need to finish getting ready and eat something.”

I sighed at having to be reminded, “You’re right, Indra. Dani, can you make me something while I finish packing?”

“Of course, _heda_ ,” she said bowing mockingly.

“God, stop calling me that,” I said, annoyed.

“Now, why would we go and do something like that, _heda_ ,” Nyx teased. 

“Seriously, stop.”

“Nope.”

I groaned and dragged Clarke upstairs with me. As soon as the door closed behind us, Clarke pushed me up against the door and kissed me. I ran my hands down her side and slipped them underneath her shirt and pulled it over her, exposing the fact that she wasn’t wearing a bra. I grinned at her and took off my own shirt. She pushed me back against the door and made sure that I wouldn’t forget her.

When we came back downstairs, Nyx, Scarlett, and Dani were waiting for us in the kitchen.

“Wow,” Dani said, “three hours to pack. You must’ve brought a lot of clothes.”

Nyx and Scarlett laughed and I glared at both of them.

“Hmm, three hours is nothing,” Scarlett said wickedly. “Nyx, remember that time you had to head up far north for that one job?”

“Oh, yeah. The one that I had exactly 18 hours to get to,” she said nodding and grinning. “Took me, what 14 hours to pack that time?”

“I think it was close to 15. By the way, did you get there in time?”

“I did. Don’t know how, but I did. Nasty job that was, too. Fucking child slaver. Real good payday, though.”

“That’s right and you drove me down to the Florida Keys and we spent a week alone on a beach. To bad we forgot the bikinis.”

“That was an unfortunate issue, but it was easy enough to fix.”

“Seriously, only fifteen hours,” Dani said, scoffing. “I think the longest time for me to pack was 24 hours.”

Nyx shook her head and said, “That one doesn’t count. You took breaks.”

“That does too count.”

“Nope, I talking continuous, non-stop packing,” Nyx said and then looked at me. “Three hours, non-stop or it doesn’t count?”

I sighed and said, “If that’s the case, it was closer to 2 and a half hours. I really did need to pack.”

“Ha, ha, we win,” Scarlett said with a grin and kissed Nyx thoroughly.

“No, Nyx still holds the record,” Dani said smugly. “It was close to what 72 hours?”

“Um, yeah, I think so. Very creative packing experience, too.”

Clarke sat dumbstruck and just stared at Nyx.

“Clarke, you okay, sweetie,” Scarlett asked.

She seemed to shake herself and said, “Um, yeah. I’m, I’m just, um. I’m just tired, is all.”

“Understandable,” I said as I put food in front of her and took my own seat. “This morning was certainly an experience.”

“Mm-hm,” she replied and began eating.

The conversation turned more mundane as we discussed the council meetings and Scarlett’s safety back to Old Town. Finally, it was time to leave and we said our goodbyes and I was on my way home, but I felt like I was leaving it instead.


	46. Echo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for some Echo

I rewound the footage from several days ago and watched as a young woman walked up to the hospital room that I’d seen Nyx and Clarke being carried into, and delivered a basket of what I assumed to be food. There was an exchange of words and when the girl turned around, I froze the image and zoomed in on her face. Clarke had called her Cora and when I saw that scar that that crossed her mouth, I was blown away that it could be my Cora. My sister. That she was alive somehow after all these years. Then I went to another recording that showed the interior of a house’s dining room. The table was full and I focused on the young woman that had the same name as my sister and the same scar. In came three women, two of them carrying a large cake between them and placed it in front of her. A enthusiastic rendition of Happy Birthday was sung and when everyone cheered and clapped as she stood up and bowed to everyone, I knew. I knew it was my Cora. My wonderful, sweet, innocent baby sister. 

She had survived the attack on our group and wound up exactly where we had been headed over 15 years ago. She had been alive and safe all these years, while I was raised by the Bear Queen. I watched those clips over and over again, memorizing everything about her. I felt tears fall down my face and absently wiped them away.

I berated myself, I wasn’t supposed to cry. It showed weakness. I wasn’t weak. I couldn’t afford to be weak. The weak made mistakes. The weak died at the hands of their enemies. The Forest Pack was my enemy. That was what I was taught. That was what I was beaten into believing. That was my purpose. My reason for living. Kill Lexa and Nyx and the Ice Pack will finally be victorious. I imagined myself bringing King Roan the heads of his greatest enemies, showing him that I was indeed worthy of being a member of the Ice Pack. That I had finally succeeded. 

I sighed as I let that dream fade and returned my focus back to the camp. I had somehow lost the camera that was outside Nyx’s hospital room, but she’d actually left the day before. Instead, I switched to the camera that gave me a view of the werewolves pack house. I watched as several women walked out of the house and stood around as the snow fell around them. They seemed to be saying goodbye and then three of them moved away and climbed into a very purple buggy. There was a transport truck that people were climbing into the back. When no one else climbed into the truck, they left the gate and headed out of town. From the looks of it, it looked like Lexa was heading back to Clifton. To do what, I didn’t know. Three women stood in front of the entrance and two of them seemed to be comforting the third. They went back inside, I followed them through the house, camera to camera, until they settled back into the kitchen where three other people were gathered. I turned up the volume and listened.

“They’re on their way then,” a girl said.

“Yeah, they should reach the mansion just after nightfall as long as the roads stay clear,” one of the women said.

“And Scarlett?”

“She’ll spend the night there and head home first thing in the morning.”

“Are you sure it’s safe enough for her to travel on her own?”

“I’m hoping Lexa will convince her of letting a team escort her home,” Nyx said.

I zoomed in on Nyx and was surprised that she was barely recognizable now. I wondered briefly what had caused her to lose so much weight, but put the thought aside as the conversation continued.

Nyx looked over at the woman I didn’t know and said, “Dani, take them down to the training room, please. I need to speak with Clarke alone.”

I heard the three at the table groan, but they all got up to leave. Dani gave Nyx a look and Nyx gave a shake of her head.

“Fine, but you owe me,” Dani said and followed the trio out of the kitchen.

When she was sure that they were out of earshot, Nyx approached Clarke and laid a hand on her arm. Clarke immediately crumbled against her and she wrapped her arms around Clarke in a comforting manner. I heard weeping and realized it was coming from Clarke.

“It’s alright, _niron_ ,” Nyx said as she rubbed Clarke’s back, soothing her. “You’ll see her again.”

“I know that,” Clarke said, voice muffled by Nyx’s chest. “I just didn’t know that there would be such a huge void in my chest as soon as she left.”

Nyx chuckled and said, “The power of the bond, especially a lifebond, makes you crave to be around each other. To be in the same room, or touching, or lovemaking. It’s like when you’re not touching your other lifemate or bondmate, you immediately feel the loss and are felt drawn to bring them back. You have to constantly remind yourself that they’ll come back to you or that you’ll see them again. It can be hard to control sometimes, but once you start believing what you tell yourself, you gain control over it. All you have to do to reconnect yourself to the others, is search for the bonds within you and you’ll feel them. Even for you, you can send an emotion down the bond and they’ll feel it.”

That set me back a bit to find out that Clarke was bonded to Lexa and from the sounds of it were Lifemates. I’d heard of them before, but they were non-existent in the Ice Pack. Even bondmates were extremely rare, maybe 1 in 200 pairings were bondmates.

“How do you know so much about bonds and lifemates,” Clarke asked, returning my attention to them.

“We looked up the information when we felt the bond for the first time. Confused the fuck out of us when we found out that we could feel each other and really didn’t like it when we were separated. It was Lexa’s mom that told us that we’d bonded with one another and then questioned us about how we became bonded. That was not a fun conversation to have, especially since it was our first time ever having sex.”

“You mean the first time having sex with each other?”

Nyx shook her head and replied, “No, it was our first time having sex period. Very uncomfortable to be stared down by de Pakstoka and then have her call in our mothers to let them know. Mom gave me a thorough tongue lashing for it. Lexa and Dani didn’t fare well either. We couldn’t even disappear without one of them hunting us down.”

“Wait, I thought _de Pakstoka_ was Lexa?”

“We were fourteen, Lexa’s mother was still pack leader at the time.”

“Wait, seriously fourteen? Jesus.”

Nyx laughed and replied, “We fell in love with one another when we were twelve. It was just a natural progression.”

“And I take it, that was when you started having lady callers?”

“Ahem. Yeah. It was like I gave off a strong pheromone that just drew them to me. I think I spent more time turning women down than accepting their proposals. It was quite tiresome, really.”

Clarke laughed, “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of you saying that pursuit was tiresome.”

Nyx laughed, “I’d rather do the pursuing than be the one that’s pursued.”

“Oh, really,” she said mischievously.

“Yes, most definitely,” she replied and brought her head down and kissed her.

I watched as Clarke seemed to meld into Nyx and when I saw that it was turning into something more, I quickly turned the tablet off in disgust. I couldn’t understand how someone could crave sex with another person. They hurt you. They beat you. They forced themselves on you. Who would want that. Only a sadomasochist would want that. I shuddered at the thought and pushed it back into my mind before the memories could emerge.

“Ah, there you are,” a woman’s voice called out from the back of the cave.

I spun around and crouched with a knife in each hand. I watched as two people emerged, a woman and a man. They walked like they didn’t have a care in the world and seemed to looked at her with amused curiosity.

“Who are you? How’d you get in here,” I demanded.

“That is just adorable,” the man said and lounged against the wall of the cave. “Don’t you agree, sister?”

The woman rolled her eyes and stared at her brother, “Please, Aiden, can’t you just for once be serious?”

The man, Aiden, schooled his face to look more serious, but there was a twinkle in his eyes. I continued to watch them warily as the woman sat on a nearby rock.

She looked at me curiously even tilting her head a little, “You can relax, Echo. We’re not here to turn you over or kill you.”

“How do you know my name and you didn’t answer my questions,” I demanded again.

“I am Niylah and this is my brother Aiden,” the woman said sweetly. “There’s an entrance at the far back of the cave that you didn’t ward. As to how I know your name, Mother told me all about you.”

“Your mother?”

She shook her head, “Mother, not mother,” she said, stressing the m and making it a capital M.

“And who is that?”

“Tsk, so distrustful,” Aiden said from his spot.

Niylah looked over her shoulder and said, “What did you expect? She was raised by the Bear Queen, after all.”

“How do you know that,” I demanded, nearly growling.

She turned her attention back to me and replied, “As I told you, I was told all about you by Mother. By the way, that’s Mother Earth to you.”

I scoffed, “Impossible.”

Aiden barked a laugh and moved closer, making my fingers flex over the hilts of my knives.

Niylah sighed and then said, “Mother wanted us to check on you. See how you were doing, especially since you’ve just seen your sister. She’s 17 now, right?”

My eyes flicked over to the tablet and then settled back at her.

“That really is your sister, Echo. She survived and she’s thriving. She’s happy and she’s safe.”

“You lie,” I growled out. “My sister died a long time ago when the Forest Pack attacked our group.”

Aiden sighed and crouched down, drawing my gaze to him like a magnet, and said, “It wasn’t the Forest Pack who attacked your group, sweetling. You’ve seen with your very eyes that the Bear Queen and her son don’t take kindly to anyone trying to leave their territory.”

I nodded slightly and trembled as I remembered the people that had been executed for trying to leave.

“Then why was I allowed to live?”

“Because you were useful to them. A werewolf that was ripe for training. To spy on the people they hate the most. To kill them.”

I looked at him at shock, but I didn’t see anything that would tell me he was lying. I tried to read his mind, but I was blocked. I growled at the block, but didn’t say anything.

“Now, that we have that established,” Niylah said and I glanced over at her. “How are you faring? Learn anything interesting?”

“Why do you want to know? My life is of no concern of yours,” I said, my voice deadly.

“It is a concern of Mother Earth’s, Echo,” she said, calmingly. “Your life is tied to those in the camp and as such your fate is as much their fate. Your wellbeing is important to Mother Earth. She needs reassurance that when the time comes, you will be able to complete your task.”

“My task being to kill Lexa and Nyx?”

“Yes, and maybe Clarke if you can.”

“Why is it so important that I kill them?”

“That is on a need to know and as of yet, you do not need to know,” she said with a small smile.

That was not an answer I wanted to hear, but I eased from my crouch and sat down. I wanted to hear more.

“I’m fine,” I said, finally answering her question.

“But lean. You’re not eating enough.”

“It’s winter. The food is depleted from them hunting daily.”

“Hmm. I think I can help you with that problem,” she said thinking. “What have you been able to learn?”

“Learn?”

“Yes. You’ve been watching the camp for over over a month now. You must have learned something?”

I contemplated what she was asking and answered her with, “I know that there are people being held in the bunker. Humans, I think. That some of them were sick because something was killing them. If there are humans, they grossly outnumber the Apex. Something happened to Nyx that required her to be rushed to the hospital and is now hardly recognizable. I also believe that at least four of them are bonded with Nyx and that two of them, Lexa and Clarke, are lifemates. That’s all I know.”

“Hmm, you’re lying, Echo,” Aiden said quietly.

I turned and looked at him in surprise and said, “I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. We know that there’s a camera in the office. You overheard something, didn’t you?”

I growled in frustration and said, “And what if I did?”

“Then you must share all.”

I sighed and relented, “King Roan has a human slave that says he can get back into the Forest Pack territory and into Manassas to spy for him. He’s stated that the humans in the bunker are his and he want’s the town for himself and the rest of the humans.”

Aiden frowned at the news and turned to look at Niylah. Niylah didn’t look happy either.

“The timeline is moving up,” Niylah said. “Mother will not be pleased with this news. Hopefully, Nyx will get it back on track.”

“What are you talking about,” I said coldly.

Niylah smiled gently at me and said, “The territory has to survive until the first day of Summer. If it doesn’t, then bad things will happen sooner.”

“What bad things,” I demanded.

“In time, Echo. Would you like to know why Nyx looks the way she does and why she was in the hospital?”

I shrugged, “That is inconsequential to me.”

She chuckled, “It’s not. Your manipulation on Lincoln caused her to have a regression. She nearly killed Clarke in the process. Then her nightmares starting happening and she was slowly descending into madness. She became violent, couldn’t eat or sleep. It became bad enough that her body was shutting down and she was dying. To the point that Mother had to heal her enough so that I could get there in time and reverse the manipulation.”

“So, my manipulation worked?”

“Yes, but…”

“But what,” I asked curiously.

“Hmm,” she said and quicker than I could move, she had her hands on my head and my vision clouded over.

She forced me to see everything that had happened from Nyx’s encounter to the point where Niylah left to go see Lincoln. I screamed at the pain she was showing me and I didn’t stop until she let me go and I curled up on myself as I sobbed.

“That is what you did, Echo,” Niylah said as she took her place on the rock again. “You nearly destroyed the one thing that Mother want’s to keep intact. She’s worked long and hard to get them to where they are now.”

“Why, why show me that,” I said through my tears.

“Because you needed to see what happens when you use your power like that, Echo. It never just affects just one person. When we use our power, we create ripple effects, both good and bad. What happened eight years ago was supposed to happen to bring us to this point. What happened to Nyx when she encountered Lincoln nearly allowed something to happen that Mother is working very hard to prevent.”

“I was only doing what I was ordered to do,” I whispered. “It was the only thing that kept me alive.”

“Mother knows that,” she said kindly. “That is why she is giving you a chance to rectify what you’ve done. Allow you a chance to finally know what it feels like to be loved. To have a family. A pack. To be free.”

I curled my lip in disgust and said, “Love is a weakness. It destroys everything it touches. Families die, so why get attached. A pack? This pack wants to kill me. I’m already free.”

“You’re not free, Echo,” Aiden said. “You’re not free of your past. When you are loved. When you are part of a family, will you become free of your past and free to live the life you were meant to have, Echo.”

Niylah got up and took the tablet and kneeled beside me. She turned it on and switched the cameras until she found what she was looking for and showed me.

“What do you see here, Echo,” she asked.

I looked at the image and said, “People eating dinner.”

“What else?”

I looked up at her and sighed as I looked at the image again and replied, “They’re laughing and joking. Some of them are conversing with one another. The leaders, I suppose, are having some kind of serious conversation, but they smile when something further happens down the table from them.”

“That is a pack and a family. Think of the leaders as the parents. The others are their children. Everyone is loved in that room and everyone would willingly die for one another because of that love. They eat together. They train together. They help one another. They don’t shirk their duties. They have fun together when there is time. The parents, the leaders, make sure that they are there for them, teaching, loving, comforting, disciplining upon need. It’s not just because they have to, but it is because they want to. To make sure that no one ever feels alone, not even your sister who still mourns you.”

I automatically searched for her and saw that she was flirting with a young man sitting next to her and I curled my lips in disgust and snarled.

“Now, why does that particular image make you do that, Echo?”

Startled, I looked up at her, “She’s flirting with that boy. She doesn’t understand that she’ll be hurt if she continues to do so. Nothing good comes out of that kind of relationship. Ever.”

“Are we talking about the dating kind of relationship or the sexual kind?”

“Both. Dating leads to sex. Sex is nothing but pain. They use you, beat you, make you feel worthless, they force themselves on you. I don’t want my sister to ever go through that.”

“Wow,” Aiden said, making me stare at him, “That just speaks volumes, Niylah. She’s been abused badly. She has a long way to go before she even begins to heal.”

“I see that, Aiden,” Niylah said and placed the tablet off to the side. “Echo, what you experienced in the Ice Pack is not what goes on here or beyond. Love is not a weakness, it gives a person strength. That is what helped me bring Nyx back. The love that her bondmates have for her was powerful enough to heal her mind. Sometimes there is abuse, but that is the exception and not the rule.”

“I don’t believe you,” I said softly.

“Then let him show you,” Niylah said and Aiden joined us on the ground.

I looked up at him fearfully as he slowly raised his hand to my face, make me shrink back to avoid his touch. Niylah held me in place, so I couldn’t move. He laid his hand gently on my cheek and I flinched. He did no more than that until I got used to it being there and then he moved his hand gently down until he cupped my chin, thumb running over my lips. I closed my eyes, wishing he’d just get it over with. His hand slid down onto my neck and I prepared myself for him to crush it, but he didn’t. Instead, he slowly drew me forward until I felt his lips brush mine and I inhaled his sweet scent of the winter forest. I felt Niylah remove her hands from me and step away. I stiffened a moment, but then he kissed me. It wasn’t a crushing, bruising kiss, instead it was gentle. I felt his other hand slide behind my head and his fingers slipped through strands of my hair and held me there as we just kissed. I enjoyed the feeling of his lips on mine and I parted them to deepen the kiss. He obliged and kept it gentle, letting me get a feel for it. The hand that had held my neck slipped downward and I froze. He stopped moving his hand and ended the kiss. I felt the loss immediately, but we waited for my body to relax. When he did, he kissed me in inquiry and I kissed him back. He held his hand still for awhile and then it slid down until it settled on my hip. 

It was disorientating to just kiss him and feel him no more than him touching me, holding me gently. No hair pulling, no slaps, no forcing his tongue down my throat. I felt an urge to come closer to him, but I fought it down. I broke the kiss abruptly and scooted far from him and looking at him fearfully. He just sat there and looked at me curiously and a little sadly.

He nodded to himself and said, “That is enough for now, I think.”

“Wha, what d-do y-you mean,” I stammered out.

He smiled sadly and replied, “It means that I will take this no further. I do not force myself upon someone who does not wish to continue, little one.”

“Y-you d-don’t?”

“No. Our pack does not do that. We understand that there are boundaries that can never be crossed. To force ourselves on someone is committing a cardinal sin. People are executed if they commit such a sin. We only have sex with people who consent to it. We may chase them, but if they tell us no, we respect their wishes and stop.”

I shook my head and said, “I don’t understand.”

“In time you will. We also do not tolerate abuse of any kind. Emotional, mental, verbal, sexual. Those that are caught doing so are severely punished.”

“I’m still not understanding. Why are you telling me this?”

“I wish to show you that our pack is not like the Ice Pack. When it comes to sexual relations or even relationships, we respect each other. Yes, we may fight, but all couples fight. When we do, we talk about it and we listen to one another. There is also something you must understand about our pack; Mother gave us a rather healthy sexual appetite. Why? She has never told us. We actually need to have sex in order to keep our sanity. Which is really a bothersome side effect, if you ask me. So, sex is as normal for us as breathing is. That is why we have laws in place that protect people from raping or abusing each other and why the punishments are severe when someone breaks them.”

“The Forest Pack _needs_ to have sex? That’s ridiculous,” I said in shock.

He grinned and nodded his head earnestly, “And that’s what I’ve told Her time and time again. She just smiles and nods and ignores me. I mean, sometimes a person just wants to have a break. Live in solitude for a couple of months, but no, we have to go and search for a willing partner to take care of the need or we go mad. It really is unfair, especially since we’re the only pack that suffers from it.”

I felt a smile on my face at his rant, but quickly squashed it down.

“I want to show you something,” he said and grabbed the tablet to look through the cameras like Niylah had. “Damn, but there is something that is just as good. Come, take a look.”

He held out the tablet and I moved closer and took it from him. He sat down next to me, close but not terribly close. I obediently looked down at the tablet and saw that we were once again looking at the kitchen. It appeared that Nyx and the one they called Dani were cleaning it up.

“Seriously, did you really think her chicken ricotta ravioli is better than mine,” Dani asked, as she wiped the counter down.

“Look, Dani, I call it like it is. This one dish was better than yours. You can’t be good at everything,” Nyx replied as she put dishes away.

“Ya alright, Ms. Perfect,” she said sarcastically.

Nyx whipped around and smacked Dani on the head and said, “I’m powerful, not perfect, dumbass. I’ve never claimed to be perfect. That was Lexa. It’s just that I recognize my flaws and either find help or find a way to work around it. Stop being so competitive. We’re not kids anymore.”

“No you’re not,” said someone that walked in. “You guys know better and yet you turned this place into a battlefield riddled with food.”

“We’re sorry, Seph,” Nyx said. “We know it got out of hand.”

“But you couldn’t stop yourselves, could you? You two always do this when you’re alone together. You’re worse than five year olds. I mean seriously, do we need to set you up with a babysitter in order for you to behave.”

Nyx and Dani looked down in shame and they both mumbled, “No.”

“And on top of that, you hurt Cora’s feelings tossing her food around like that. She worked really hard on it and you fucked it up,” Seph said as she stood with her hands on her hips.

“We know that, it’s just that when Nyx said her food tasted better than mine, it kinda hurt,” Dani said apologetically.

“And did you voice this with your words?”

“Um, no?”

“You’ve got to use your words, Dani. And you Nyx, you’ve got to stop egging her on like that.”

“I’m sorry, sis. I really am. I just can’t seem to help myself,” Nyx replied.

“Well, you better learn, Nyx. We don’t have time or energy to waste on something stupid like this. Not with the Bear King’s plan,” she sighed and leaned against the counter. “Stop making me mother you, Nyx. You’re my big sister and yet when you continue like this, I feel like I’m the grown up here, not you. You’re 28 not 8.”

“I promise, I’ll try to do better, Seph. I know you’ve had to pick up my slack and I’m really sorry that you’ve had that much responsibility. Can I at least tell you that I’m proud of the way you’ve handled yourself?”

“Yes and thank you. That really does mean a lot coming from you.”

“Good,” she said and then swept her arm out to show off the kitchen, “Does this meet your approval, Second?”

Seph walked around with her hands clasped behind her back as if she was doing a military inspection. I sniggered when I watched her wipe a finger across the table and look at it before she crouched down and looked underneath. When she had finished her inspection, she gave a nod to them and they relaxed completely.

“So, we can go wash up now,” Dani asked hopefully.

“You still need to apologize to Cora,” Seph said sternly.

“Couldn’t that wait until after we clean ourselves first?”

“No can do, Dani. She reports to the gate in twenty.”

“Shit,” Dani said and looked at Nyx forlornly.

Nyx held up her hands and said, “Nope. Sephy set the schedule and what she says goes.”

“Fine,” Dani grumbled. “Where’s Cora?”

Cora came into the room with her head down and her hands clasped in front of her, like she wished that she wasn’t there.

“Cora,” Nyx said softly. “Can you please join us at the table. We want to apologize for ruining your meal.”

Cora glanced up at Nyx in surprise and shook her head, “It’s alright, _Stokripa_. I shouldn’t have cooked tonight.”

Nyx walked over to her and lifted her chin and said, “Don’t call me that, Cora. I’m just Nyx. And it’s not alright. You worked really hard at preparing this meal and we wasted it like children. Please sit down.”

Nyx let go of her chin and they walked over to the table and sat down and Dani joined them.

“Cora, I’m sorry,” Dani said. “I got upset when Nyx said that it tasted better than mine and I acted like I always do. I threw your food at her which is what started it. I was jealous that someone did better than me. I’m competitive by nature and I let that control my actions. From the little bit I did eat, I have to agree that it tasted better than mine.”

Cora looked at Dani surprised and said, “It was?”

Dani smiled at her and said, “It was. I’m just sorry that no one else got to have a chance to know that.”

“But why did you throw it back at her,” she asked Nyx.

Nyx blushed and said, “You know that Lexa, Dani, and I grew up together, right?”

She nodded.

“Well, the truth is that when Dani and I are left alone to our own devices we tend to revert back to being children. So, when Dani threw the food at me, I felt the need to repay her in kind. Then it got out of hand and you saw the mess we made. I’m sorry that we did that. Trust me when I tell you that neither one of us planned it. We didn’t do it on purpose nor were we trying to hurt you. It was just us being dumb.”

“Is that why Seph scolded you,” she asked with a small grin on her face.

Nyx chuckled and said, “Yes. That’s why we were scolded. Since neither of our mom’s are here to scold, Seph took it upon herself to do so. Which I am sorry for as well. We shouldn’t have acted that way.”

“Can you forgive us,” Dani asked.

“Can you teach me how to cook, so I can become as good as you,” she asked.

Dani grinned and held out her hand and said, “Deal, but you’ve got teach me what you did to the recipe to make it taste better than mine.”

Cora shook her hand and replied, “Deal and you’re forgiven.”

Dani whooped and grinned widely making Cora laugh and Nyx shake her head.

“Cora,” Nyx said, making her attention turn back to her, “there’s something else I’d like to talk to you about. It’s serious, okay?”

She nodded and her face took on a look of seriousness.

“I know that you were raised in the Western border by the Klines,” she said softly and Cora’s face fell. “I know that they’ve been arrested for treason along with many others.”

“You’re not going to arrest me either, because I had nothing to do with that,” Cora defended herself, and I felt the urge to protect her rise.

Nyx shook her head and said, “No. We’re not. We know you had nothing to do with that. I have a proposal for you and I hope you accept it.”

“What is it?”

“We, Seph and I, both know that you lost your family when you tried to cross the border 15 and a half years ago. Now, the family that raised you since you were two have been taken out of your life, leaving you with no family. I was wondering if you would like to join our family? Become an Allistar.”

“Why? You guys are legends. I’m not nearly as powerful as you are,” Cora said and rocked back in her chair. 

Sephy came to stand behind her chair and laid her hands gently on her shoulders, making her look up at her.

“Power has nothing to do about being an Allistar, Cora. It’s our heart and determination to keep our pack safe that is the foundation of being an Allistar. You’ve shown that countless times and never complain or fuss or whine.”

“We’re not infallible as you can clearly notice,” Nyx said with a grin. “You call us legends, but we really aren’t. What you see is the work we’ve put ourselves through in order to be at our best and strongest. We stumble, we fall, we nearly kill ourselves sometimes, but we always get back up. It has a little bit to do with training, but it’s mostly because it’s something we want to do. We want to protect the weaker and want nothing more than to keep our people safe. We know you want to do the same things.”

“We know that you want to become a Gate Commander to prevent what happened to your family from ever happening again and that is a noble cause. We’d be honored if you would become part of our family, Cora. Hell, you’d probably be a better sister than Nyx,” she finished with a grin.

“Hey, I take exception to that,” Nyx cried out. “I just keep forgetting that you’re not that 8 year old little girl anymore. I mean cut me some slack, would ya.”

“Maybe I would if you didn’t act like an 8 year old half the time.”

“I do not.”

“You’re acting like one right now.”

“I am…shit, I am. Fuck. This is all Dani’s fault,” she said pointing at Dani.

“Don’t drag me into this. I’m sitting over here behaving myself,” Dani said.

Nyx stuck out her tongue at Dani and Seph made a grab for it, but missed.

Seph sighed and looked down at Cora, “Do you see what I mean. She’s horrible.”

Cora laughed and replied, “Horrible is not the right word. Tiresome.”

“You’re right, she is exhausting to keep an eye on. Keep’s trying to die on me and leave, the bitch.”

“I’m not trying to die, Seph. I swear the world is trying to kill me. The leaving part may or may not happen. I still haven’t decided yet.”

“Oh, come on, Nyx. Ya gotta stay,” Dani said, clearly exasperated. 

“Ugh, I am not having this argument again,” Nyx said annoyed and I could tell that it was clearly a sore subject. I wondered why she wouldn’t want to stay.

“Anyway, Cora,” Seph said. “As we were saying before I got distracted. You have shown us that you have all the qualities an Allistar has, but that’s not the only reason. We like you. And I love you like a sister. Neither one of us want to see you grow up alone without a family. And we have a really big family.”

“Wait. You do,” Cora said confused.

Nyx laughed and said, “We do, but it’s not just the Allistars. We have cousins and aunties and uncles on both sides of the family still. Then you throw in the Devereuxs and the Rendons. It’s quite a large family.”

“Why do you count them?”

“Our families are tied irrevocably to one another. It’s only been made stronger because of the bond that Lexa, Dani, and I have.”

“You’re bondmates,” Cora said shocked.

Dani chuckled and said, “Yes, we are. Plus Clarke and the woman with the purple buggy, Scarlett.”

“And you guys are sleeping with one another? Wouldn’t that be like sleeping with your own sister?”

“Ew. That’s just gross.”

“No. It’s not, but I can see where you get the idea,” Nyx said with a grin. “In our case, it’s like marrying into a family, but it does not make us kissing cousins or anything like that. It’s how bonds work. Sex is the trigger that strengthens the bonds that we feel when we first see one another. That’s how come Clarke and Scarlett are also our bondmates.”

“So, large family, yada, yada, yada. We love you, yada, yada, yada. You’re a good person yada, yada, yada. Will you honor us by becoming our sister,” Seph said, giving Nyx and Dani a look.

“With all the yada, yada, yada’s, it’s hard to resist,” Cora said, chuckling. “Can I think about it?”

“Please do,” Nyx said, “and we want you to know that Mom already approves of you. She likes you.”

“Wait, your mom likes me, too?”

“Yes,” Seph replied. “I had a long talk with her about you and even though she’s never met you, she’d like you to be part of the family.”

“Do you still need to think about it,” Dani teased. “But, in all seriousness, the Allistars aren’t the only family that would like to adopt you, Cora. My family, the Devereuxs, and the Griffins are also offering. There is something about you that says you’re important. Probably Mother Earth is niggling in our ears or something. If you say no, it won’t hurt our feelings. Instead, you’ll just gain mentors.”

Cora stood up and backed away from them in confused shock, “Why would you all want me? I’m nobody really. I’m just trying to learn my job. I’m a subpar water mage. I wasn’t even born in the pack. Why would four powerful families want me?”

The three of them looked at one another, having a silent conversation, and then nodded. They waited in silence for a few minutes and then someone else entered the room.

“That’s Octavia Blake, the Manassas Pakstoka,” Gustus whispered in my ear.

“What’s up,” Octavia said as she looked around the room.

“We need your water,” Seph said. “We’d like to show Cora why our families want to adopt her.”

“Seriously, you guys want to adopt her?”

“Yes, unless you’d like to throw your hat in the ring?”

“That’s not really up to me to decide. I’d have to talk to Bellamy about it. If anything, I’d actually like Cora to join my pack. She’s proven to be very resourceful, strong, fierce, kind, capable person while she’s been here. Qualities I want in my pack.”

“Seriously,” Cora all but shrieked.

Octavia walked over to her and hugged her, “Yes. I’m serious. I may be new to this gig, but I know the kind of leadership I want underneath me. You have that in you. You can be a leader. Maybe not at the level we are, but you already command respect from your fellow guard members. They listen to you and think about what you’ve said. Even you’re C.O. says that you have it in you to lead a team or a command of your own. So, I want to snatch you up before one of the other packs do.”

Before Cora could say anything, Clarke walked into the room and walked over to Nyx, giving her a quick kiss on the lips.

“Nate said you wanted to see me,” Clarke said.

“Yeah,” Nyx said, wrapping an arm around Clarke’s waist. “We’ve told Cora that our families would like to adopt her. Octavia just asked her to join her pack. She’s having a hard time understanding why. Apparently, it’s not enough for her.”

Clarke looked up at Cora and said calmly, “Cora, there is a reason why beyond what they’ve told you. How much do you believe Mother Earth interacts with the weres?”

“I don’t know,” Cora replied. “I’ve never really thought about it.”

Clarke nodded and replied, “I can understand that. Do you believe that Mother Earth even exists?”

“Of course, I do,” Cora said shocked that she’d ever be asked that question.

Clarke chuckled, “Gotcha. I had to ask because my bondmates and I have been given a higher purpose by Mother Earth. All of this isn’t just random happenstance. When we have the chance we’ll explain it more in-depth, but for right now, let’s just say that you’re involved in whatever is happening. Those qualities that they’ve told you are really your qualities. They’re not just saying it to pump you up to accept an adoption. You’re special regardless of the fact that you’re powers are subpar, which is your word not ours, or that you were born Ice Pack.”

“You’ve got to be shitting me?!”

“I wish it weren’t so, but it’s the truth,” Dani said almost sadly. “A five way bond has never been recorded in our history. A life bond between two of us is extremely rare. All of us are extremely powerful, both in leadership and powers. The shit that’s happened to Nyx was meant to happen. The shit that’s led us here was all meant to happen. We may not know what’s coming our way, but we do know that you’re part of it. There’s also another person that’s involved, but we haven’t discovered who that is yet.”

“What we’d like to do, if you’re game,” Nyx said soothingly, “is show you why you’re important. But just to let you know, what you will see and experience is going to confuse the fuck out of you and probably terrify you.”

“So, are you up for a little show and tell,” Sephy asked.

“You’re not going to hurt me, are you,” Cora said fearfully making my hackles raise.

“It shouldn’t,” Nyx said. “But if it does, just tell us to stop and we will.”

Cora seemed to take a shuddering breath and then said, “I’m game.”

“Thank you,” she replied and then looked over at Seph. “Could you remove the inhibitor please.”

“Inhibitor? What the hell is that,” I thought to myself out loud.

“A device that shuts down the powers of a person wearing it. Nyx has it on until she feels comfortable enough to begin using her powers again,” Aiden answered me quietly.

I watched as Clarke and Dani stood up and backed a way a bit as Seph reached behind Nyx’s ear and removed something. Everyone gasped and Nyx seemed to adjust herself as her powers returned.

Nyx stood up and faced Cora and said, “Trust me that I’m not doing this to hurt you in any way.”

“Okay,” Cora said quietly and centered herself.

Suddenly, fire sprang out around Cora and I screamed in horror. She was killing her. But then, I noticed in shock as Cora was still standing and looking about her in surprise.

“Step out, Cora,” Nyx said and she did and was completely fine.

“I don’t…,” Cora said and then a column of stone suddenly encased her.

“Step sideways to your right, Cora.”

She did and once more was completely unfazed. The fire went out and the column of stone receded back into the ground.

“How are you feeling,” Clarke asked.

“Completely fine,” Cora replied and looked at her confused. “How?”

Before anyone could answer her, she was surrounded by metal.

“Cora is it solid or hollow,” Nyx asked.

I could hear the muffled reply as she said, “Solid.”

“Then step back to your left.”

She did and she looked down at herself in amazement. The metal disappeared and Nyx looked over at her sister.

Seph nodded and suddenly a chair went flying for Cora. Instinctively, she crouched down to protect herself, but Sephy adjusted the aim and the chair went sailing right through Cora and splintered apart on the wall behind her. Cora peeked out from her ball and slowly stood up.

“Look behind you,” Seph said, and she did.

Cora looked at the broken chair and then stared hard at Seph, who just shrugged.

“It went through you.”

“Dani,” Nyx said. “You’re up.”

“You know how hard it is to see wind, what do you expect me to do,” Dani said, grumbling.

Nyx sighed, “Just give the damn air color, idiot, so that we can all see it.”

Dani’s mouth opened up into a silent ‘O’ and then blushed, “Forgot I could do that.”

“Then how the hell can you see your own damn wards?”

“Well, excuse me for forgetting. Wards are different from air.”

“No, they’re not. They are solid air, numbskull. Didn’t you read the damn book?”

“I had other things on my mind.”

“Guys, focus,” Clarke reprimanded them.

“Sorry,” they both said and then Dani stared hard at Cora.

First she tried to move Cora with strong enough wind that Octavia was blasted sideways and skidded across the room. Octavia scowled at Dani, but moved out of the way and closer to Clarke, who did a quick inspection to make sure she wasn’t hurt. Cora on the other hand was completely unfazed.

Next, Dani seemed to be trying to suck the air out of Cora’s lungs, but she was only successful in pulling a little bit out, like an exhale. Dani stepped back and was breathing hard.

“Fuck,” Dani said. “That damn near drained me.”

“Are you okay,” Cora asked worriedly.

Dani took a deep breath and straightened herself up, “Yeah, I’ll be right as rain.”

Nyx looked over at Octavia and said, “Wanna go next?”

“Sure,” she replied shrugging.

A column of water shot up from the ground and without being asked she stepped to the side. She was completely dry.

“Step back into the water column, please,” Nyx asked.

She did and then Nyx asked Octavia, “Freeze it.”

It froze and then Cora stepped out of it, again completely unfazed.

“Anything else, Nyx,” Octavia asked.

“Um, how about a big snowball?”

Octavia nodded and a huge ball of snow appeared between her hands, when she felt it was big enough, she shoved it at Cora and watched as it sailed through her and splattered the wall behind her.

There was a small grin on Cora’s face when she looked back at the snow covered wall.

“I guess, it’s my turn,” Clarke said as she stood next to Nyx.

With a look of concentration, Clarke sent down a bolt of lightning down from the ceiling aimed directly at Cora. It hit her and nothing happened. Then there were a half a dozen strikes and still nothing. Then Clarke held out her hand and tried to do something, but it never happened. When she stopped, she kind of wilted, but Nyx caught her and led her to a chair to sit down.

Everyone cleaned up the mess and Cora asked, “Okay, what just happened?”

“Sit please,” Nyx asked.

Cora joined them at the table and waited expectantly.

“You could say that Mother Earth visited me in a dream earlier today,” Nyx said. “In that conversation she told me that you, Cora, were different from any Apex out there. That no power could touch or harm you in anyway, shape, or form. Because of this power, you needed to be protected and taught everything that we all know. She’s the one that suggested that one of our families outright adopt you. That’s what Clarke meant by there being another reason behind our offer. Our families have the strongest powers. If we couldn’t hurt you, it means that no one can, ever.”

“But, I’ve been knocked on my ass and hurt by other people’s powers, so how is that possible,” Cora asked.

“Because you believed that it was supposed to be that way. When you trusted me to not hurt you, you ignored the fact that what we did could hurt or even kill you. You were supposed to be on fire, encased in earth and metal. The chair should have hit you and Sephy should have been able to pick you up. The wind should have done the same thing as what happened to Octavia and Dani should have been able to draw the breath from your lungs. You should have drowned, been frozen solid, or hit by the snowball and landed against the wall. Lastly, you should have been electrocuted and Clarke should have been able to draw the electric currents in your body and harvest it in the palm of her hand. None of those things happened, Cora, and we were trying our best to do that to you.”

“So, you were actually trying to kill me?”

“Will you be mad if I say that the answer was yes?”

“I am mad, but I think that if anything had happened to me you would’ve been able to heal me.”

“True.”

“Nyx, you’re starting to surge again,” Clarke said.

Sephy got up quickly and replaced the inhibitor on Nyx and everyone relaxed, but Nyx seemed to deflate a bit. 

“Ugh, I’ve really got to get control of this,” Nyx replied, clearly annoyed.

“Well, you could always tell yourself that you’re not bottomless.”

“That’s one way, but I have to learn how to deal with it as being bottomless.”

“You’ll get there, sweetheart,” Clarke said and kissed her.

“Thanks.”

“Wait, what do you mean bottomless,” Cora asked. 

They all looked at one another and Clarke shook her head.

“I’m sorry, but we can’t tell you.”

“Pack secret,” Dani said.

“Dammit,” Cora said, leaning abruptly back in her chair and crossing her arms across her chest.

“Sorry, Cora,” Sephy said. “It’s just the way things are sometimes.”

“I know, but you’ve all seen why I’m different, so why can’t you share.”

“Well, you’re a pack secret, too, Cora,” Nyx said. “No one outside this room, with the exception of Lexa and a few others, can ever know what you can do.”

“Yeah, you’ll have to go back to thinking that shit can hurt you,” Dani said softly.

“Seriously?”

Dani nodded.

“Fine,” Cora said and then leaned forward and put her elbows on the table, “So, let me get this straight. Things were sent in motion a long time ago that results in an endgame that no one knows about. You and your bondmates, Nyx, are at the center of it. I and along with one other unknown person are also involved in whatever is happening. Because of this power, the best way to protect me is to be adopted into one of your families. And Octavia’s invitation to join her pack is a bonus.”

“Pretty much,” Nyx said. “The decision is yours to make, Cora. If you decline, we become your protectors and mentors. Once this is all over, you can do whatever it is you want to do. No ties, no pressure.”

“You and Nyx are our most important pack secrets, Cora,” Dani said. “We can’t afford to lose either of you.”

“But Lexa banished Nyx,” Cora said confused. “Why would you do that if she’s a pack secret?”

“Because I killed a lot of people including Lexa’s younger sisters and my older brother, Cora,” Nyx said. “Lexa was manipulated into thinking that it was a power grab and banished me instead of executing me. For eight years, I had to hide the fact that I have five powers so the Coalition couldn’t get their hands on me. If word ever got out about what you can do, the Coalition would be after you, too.”

“It was a mistake that has now been rectified,” Dani said. “It just took eight years and multiple assassination attempts to rectify it.”

“People were trying to kill you? Was it because of what happened eight years ago,” Cora asked.

“Yes and no. A strong telepath, placed manipulations on the survivors of the attack to make sure that if I did survive, there would be different ways to kill me. To keep me from being Second and allow the Ice Pack to spy on de Pakstoka and the pack,” Nyx said.

“But that’s been stopped, right?”

“For now. Ice Pack is making a move again and we have to stop it before it escalates into a war.”

“Which would bring in the Coalition,” she replied glumly.

“Right and everything we’ve worked for and kept hidden will be gone.”

“If I decide that I want to be adopted, what would happen besides becoming better protected?”

“Simple enough. We teach you everything we know and I do mean everything. We’ll teach you the duties of the family that adopts you. You’ll be trained to become a leader of your own command, council leader, and a pack leader,” Nyx said. “If you don’t, we can’t teach you about the head pack leadership and the history of that leadership. We’ll still teach you leadership and train you until you become our equal. You just won’t necessarily have the clout our names would bring you.”

“Would your offer still stand, Octavia?”

“Yes, It’s an open invitation that you can accept or decline at any time,” Octavia said with a smile.

“If I’m adopted into one of your families does that place me into the direct line of succession?”

“Yes, it does,” Nyx answered. “In my family, you’d become my successor. Seph can’t because she’s been trained to become the Second of the Southern Pack. You’d be Dani’s successor since she has no siblings. Lexa’s is the same. There is a caveat, though. If anyone of us decide to have a child, that child is automatically our successor since it’s hereditary. Even Clarke’s child would be up to become de Pakstoka.”

“Whoa, wait a minute,” Clarke said, completely blown away at the revelation. “What do you mean if I have a child they would be in line to become de Pakstoka?”

“You’re lifemated to Lexa, Clarke,” Nyx explained gently. “When the two of you eventually claim one another that places you in direct line to become de Pakstoka. Any children you have would be eligible alongside any of Lexa’s if she decides to have one. Of course, her children would have first dibs.”

Clarke slumped and laid her head over her arms and said, “Can I just cancel the life bond and go back to a regular bond?”

“No, sweetheart,” Dani said gently. “Doesn’t work that way. Once a life bond is made it’s unbreakable just like a regular bond. It’d still happen if you claimed one of us.”

She propped her chin on her arms and glared at Dani, “I hate you.”

Dani laughed and Nyx hugged her.

“It’s just the way the world is, love,” Nyx said, trying to comfort her. “This is what happens when you’re stuck in a bunker for 83 years. You learn shit that just gives you a complete mind fuck.”

“Fucking stupid world,” Clarke grumbled, eliciting more laughs and a snicker from me.

“Okay,” Cora said. “Now, I really need time to think about this. Clarke’s not the only one getting her mind fucked. Do I have a time limit?”

“Unfortunately, yes. You have two weeks to decide,” Nyx said, sobering up. “In two weeks, we’ll either know shit is about to hit the fan or we’ll have staved off the current situation.”

“Two weeks. I can live with that,” Cora said. “Do I need to be aware of anything else?”

“Nope. You’ll learn more once you decide. Until then, take your time and figure out what you really want. We’ll be here when you need us.”

“Thank you,” she said and got up to leave. 

Octavia swung an arm around her shoulders and they left together talking amongst themselves.

The image went black and Aiden took the tablet away. I stared at the spot it had been for awhile as I absorbed everything that had just happened.

“Mind blowing, wasn’t it,” he asked.

“That is putting it mildly,” I said as I turned to look at him. “It has to be a mind manipulation. It has to be. They’re only tricking her to believe that she’s invulnerable to powers. They want to use her, not adopt her.”

“Why would they do that,” Gustus asked curiously.

“They must know that she’s my sister. They’re going to use her against me,” I said determined to make that the case.

“Echo, they don’t know the two of you are related,” Gustus said gently. “They think, as she does, that her family was killed when you were attacked. What you just witnessed was real. They were really trying to harm her.”

“You mean kill her,” I snarled.

“You’re right, but if Cora had shown any signs of discomfort or pain, Nyx would have halted immediately and would have healed her.”

“There were five people in the room, but seven powers were used on her,” I said thinking out loud. “Where’d the other two powers come from and you said that Nyx could have healed her?”

“Nyx has command of five powers. You saw three of them. She allowed her sister to use her telekinesis even though she also possesses that power.”

I thought quickly and came to a sudden realization, “If what you say is true, the night we fought, she used her powers to open up the ground and rain fire on everyone.”

Gustus nodded, “She also built the bombs herself that she then telekinetically exploded.”

“But, that’s impossible. How?”

“Mother, of course,” Aiden said sighing. “Those that she has a hand in creating are usually the most powerful of their kind. Nyx, your sister, you, my sister, Clarke, Lexa, and Dani. She’s had a hand in all of them.”

“Me?”

“Your telepathic ability is off the charts, Echo. It’s the reason why those mind manipulations you performed eight years ago held for this long and still had a huge impact.”

“Why have you told me all of this? With the information that I now have, I could easily go to either the Ice Pack or the Coalition and destroy the Forest Pack,” I asked, trying to gauge him better.

“The better question to ask is why haven’t you?”

That stumped me now that I heard the question spoken out loud. Even with just knowing that there was a large community of humans living in the middle of Forest Pack and that Lexa knows about it, why hadn’t I? Bringing this information to the right people could destroy the Forest Pack. They have been a bane over the entirety of my life, so why was I hesitating to bring them down? I mean, that is what I had been trying to do when I was employed by the Bear King. The answer was simple, I don’t know why.

“I don’t know,” I answered truthfully.

His face brightened and he leaned over quickly and kissed the tip of my nose before I could react. I sat there stunned until I started to feel sleepily. I looked at him in disbelief until my eyes closed and I fell into a deep sleep.


	47. Raven

I’d finally decided to take a break from our shield problem and found myself sitting in the compound’s kitchen sipping a cup of coffee. Looking around me, Octavia and Seph were discussing the laws that governed most packs and how she could use it here with mages also living here, and Dani and Nyx were flirting with one another while they made lunch. I kept glancing at them as they flirted. For some reason, I couldn’t seem to get them out of my mind ever since they flirted with me the day we tested Nyx’s powers. I was feeling very conflicted about how I felt about the attention they had given me. 

The annoying thing was the simple fact that they flirted with pretty much every woman in the compound and Clarke just let them continue their behavior even after bonding with them. I couldn’t completely understand why and that bothered me.

“You’re staring at them again,” Octavia teased, bringing me back into focus.

I looked at her sharply and shook my head, answering, “I just don’t get it.”

“What don’t you get,” Seph asked.

“Those two,” I said gesturing to them. “I mean they’re with each other and with Clarke, but they flirt with every woman they come across.”

“Not every woman,” Octavia pointed out. “They only flirt with the ones that are receptive to it. If a woman tells them no or if they know the woman has a partner, they won’t flirt with them.”

“It’s who they are, Raven,” Sephy told her. “Neither one of them have taken anybody up on their offers since they bonded with Clarke. And trust me there have been offers, but they’re madly devoted to her and each other.”

“What do you mean that this is who they are?”

“Well, I’m not sure how to explain it. They’ve always been a flirt since they became teenagers and they’ve always been pursued. It’s like they have some kind of scent that women are automatically drawn to, or at least the ones who are also interested in women.”

“So, you’re saying that they can’t help themselves,” I asked still very confused.

Seph shrugged, “I honestly don’t know, but if they’ve been flirting with you and don’t like it, just tell them no. They’ll back off.”

“They haven’t since the day we tested Nyx’s powers.”

“Then don’t worry about it,” Seph said with a smile.

“That’s the problem. I can’t seem to to stop thinking about it and _that_ has me worried.”

Seph leaned back in her chair and said, “Oh, you’ve got that kind of problem.”

“You’re not daydreaming about them are you,” Octavia said, worried but with a gleam in her eyes.

“Why would I…no. Absolutely not. I like guys. I’m attracted to guys,” I said stubbornly.

“Don’t protest to loudly, love,” Sephy said and laid a hand on my arm. “You keep doing it and people are gonna start believing you just don’t want to accept it.”

“And don’t just find a guy to prove that you don’t like women or kiss a woman randomly to see if you like it. Just stop obsessing over it. They haven’t flirted with you again and won’t unless you give them something that they can interpret that you’re interested,” Octavia said, soothingly.

“Breakfast is served, ladies,” Dani said as she began to lay platters on the table.

I leaned back far enough that I almost toppled my chair, but she caught it and righted me.

“Careful, Raven,” she said with a smile. “Wouldn’t want to ruin that beautiful, brilliant mind of yours.”

“Don’t say that,” I said crossly.

There was a look of confusion on her face and she asked, “Don’t say what?”

“Don’t say that about my mind. Brilliant yes, beautiful no.”

“I don’t understand,” Dani said looking at Seph, “Did I say something wrong?”

“No, Dani,” Sephy said, coming to my rescue. “She’s just having a hard time with the shield problem.”

Dani nodded, but I don’t think she believed it, “Sure. No problem.”

“Are you guys still having difficulty expanding it that far,” Nyx asked as she sat down opposite me.

I nodded, thankful for the distraction and said, “It’s not the length of the foundation that’s bothersome, it’s getting it to either maintain height or turning it into a dome. It always collapses.”

“How high are you trying to make it?”

“We were thinking the height of the the strongest drone.”

She nodded, “Which is anywhere from three to five miles in the air.”

“Right. No matter what we’ve tried, it won’t stay up.”

“What if I created a five mile tower in the center of the territory? Would that work?”

“It might, but I’m afraid that it might still collapse somewhere in the middle.”

“Then it might be a good idea to build towers at greater heights between the borders until it reaches the center.”

“What do you mean,” I asked curiously.

“Mmm,” she said thinking and then moved the platters from the table and taking the crispy bacon, started to tear them up.

Dani protested, but then got quiet. Nyx must have said something through their mind link. In a simplistic way she created a circle with the smallest pieces and left a whole slice in the middle. She then laid out larger and larger pieces at certain distances until they met the big one. Next, she took the syrup and with a look at Sephy and Octavia, started dribbling lines between the pieces of bacon. It was an interesting diagram. From the smallest pieces, several of them would meet up at a larger piece, then another circle was drawn around those larger pieces connecting them much like the foundation of the shield. She repeated the process until they all ended up meeting the central piece of bacon.

“Okay, now imagine that these pieces of bacon are standing up right,” Nyx said and pointed to the smallest pieces. “Those are the ones that will be at the borders. From there, they’ll converge onto a larger piece and those pieces would then act as a stepping stone. You repeat until you get to the central piece. It would look like one of those plastics toys that have different size rings that sit around a pole. Maybe a step pyramid, but I think you get the idea.”

I stood up and walked around the table, taking the diagram from every angle and my mind went to overdrive as I imagined the poles and then laying the shield on top of them. I examined it for weak points, but the way she had designed it actually made it stronger. At least to my eye it did. I still needed to build a model and test it out, but this may be the answer we were looking for.

I impulsively hugged Nyx who blushed and chuckled, before I sat back down again.

“Can I eat the bacon now,” Octavia asked.

I laughed and said, “Yes. Nyx, this is brilliant. How’d you come up with an idea this quickly?”

“It’s how her mind works,” Dani said smugly. “You give her a problem, tell you where you’re having the difficulty and almost instantaneously she’s got an idea.”

Nyx shoved Dani as she got up and got a wet rag to clean up the syrup.

“Is that true,” I asked Nyx.

“Something like that,” she replied, blushing which was kinda cute. “I have a certain way of looking at a problem and the more data I have, the more easily an idea forms in my head. It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s doable, but at least it’s an idea and allows other’s to think a bit more outside of the box. It’s how Ben came up with his idea for the bugs. I complained loudly enough that there had to be a better way for me to put bugs in place without coming across someone and having to either disable them or kill them. Planting bugs is risky.”

“So, he invented a program that gave the bugs parameters to find the best spots to spy and the automation to get there,” I said appreciatively.

“Yeah,” she answered. “Now, all he has to do is look up the schematics of the building, input that into the program. Then I add my two cents as to where the most likely places would give us intel, which he adds and then they’re ready to do their job.”

“Which keeps you safer longer,” Seph said with a certain look in her eye.

Nyx scowled at the look, but didn’t say anything. There was a story there and I wanted to know about it sooner rather than later.

“Anyway, that’s why I could build you the messy diagram,” Nyx said as she plucked a piece of errant bacon from the table.

I sat there looking at her and realized that there’s way more to Nyx than people knew about or maybe didn’t even appreciate. Seph coughed and brought me back to realizing that I’d maybe looked at her for too long and quickly averted my eyes to the food on my plate.

“Um, thanks for showing me that,” I said as a took a forkful of egg. “That’ll help.”

“Sure, no problem,” she replied. “Always here to help.”

There was a thunk under the table and I looked up to see Sephy and Nyx glaring at each other. There was a bit of head nodding and shoulder movements and then Nyx sighed and finished eating. I could’ve sworn she was stealing glances at me the entire time.

With an idea in my head and a stomach full of food, I headed back to my lab. When I was halfway across the courtyard that would take me into the Town Hall, someone called out to get my attention. I stopped and looked around and saw a guard walking over to me. 

He approached me a little out of breath and asked, “You’re Raven, right? One of the techno mages?”

“I am,” I said curiously. “Is there something I can help you with?”

He blushed and rubbed the back of his head and said, “Um, yeah. You see, I’ve got this music player and it’s kinda old. Nearly a hundred years, I think. Well, it started glitching out recently. I took it to a buddy of mine who’s also a techno mage, but he’d told me that if he fixed it, I’d lose all my music and I don’t want to do that. Ya see, it was my great-great grandads and it’s one of the few things we have of his left. So, to lose the kind of music he used to listen to, is not something I’d like to lose.”

“For sentimental reason,” I said.

“Yeah, yeah that’s it. Exactly,” he said brightening up. “My buddy, he just doesn’t understand and the way it’s glitching I can’t really place the music somewhere safe, you know.”

I nodded, “Do you have it on you?”

He reached in his side pocket of his pant leg and pulled out a music player that was indeed quite old. Definitely, over a hundred years old. He handed it to me and I turned it over in my hand. It was weird using my power like this. I asked myself what was causing the glitch and I could see the wiring and computer chips until I came to the problem which was simple enough to fix for me. But as his buddy pointed out, it would cause a memory purge and he’d lose all the music. So, my next question was about how to save the memory without corrupting the data. Again, my mind showed me exactly how to do it.

I looked up at him with a smile and said, “I can do what you’re asking.”

He whooped, making me laugh, and picked me up to swing me around. When he put me down, I took a step back and took a moment to regain my balance. 

“Thank you, so much,” he said earnestly. “You have just made my day.”

I laughed again and said, “Why don’t we step into my office and I’ll get this fixed for you?”

“Wait, hold on,” he said taking a step back, “You can do it right now? Like right, right now and it won’t take long?”

“Yes, I can and no it won’t take more than maybe ten minutes to do.”

“Hot damn, I could kiss you right now,” he said with a huge grin on his face.

“Please don’t do that,” I said smiling. “It’s just something I can do.”

He became serious and said, “I know, but you’re one of the council members and I’m sure that with everything going on, you’re pretty busy.”

“That’s nice of you to take that into consideration, um…what’s your name anyway?”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. My momma would kill me if she knew I’d forgotten my manners,” he said, clearly embarrassed, and held out his hand. “I’m Thomas Caster, but my friends just call me Tommy.”

I took his hand and was surprised when I felt something weird. I shook it and quickly let go, hoping I didn’t hurt his feelings. I looked up at him and smiled slightly and nodded my head towards Town Hall.

He followed me silently and I would occasionally glance over at him as he took everything in. He was kinda handsome in that backwoods kinda way. His hair was a bit shaggy and he had day old scrub on his face, but he held himself straight and projected a sense of pride in what he did. He also seemed like an easy person to be around, like you automatically relaxed when you were near him. Everything about him said that he was a good guy and probably trustworthy.

“So, which pack are you from, Tommy,” I asked as I looked for the appropriate cable to plug his player in.

“Southern Pack, ma’am,” he answered cordially.

I looked up at him and quirked an eyebrow and said, “Ma’am?”

He grinned down at me and replied, “Momma made sure that I had manners. So, unless you tell me to use your given name, I will address you as such. You don’t like it?”

“It’s not that, Tommy,” I replied with a smile. “No one has ever called me that. It’s always been Raven, Rae, or Reyes, depending on who’s calling me.”

“Well, that doesn’t seem very polite, if I may say so. A woman as beautiful and kind as you are, should be treated with respect.”

That made me blush and I quickly turned to my computer screen to hide it.

“I didn’t mean to offend you,” he said apologetically.

“You, you didn’t offend me, Tommy,” I said over my shoulder as I began typing commands into the computer. “I just wasn’t expecting the compliments.”

I heard the squeaking of a chair and I looked over and saw that Tommy had grabbed a chair and swung it around so that he could prop his arms over the back.

He tilted his head in a way that made him look cuter and I could feel my blush getting hotter, so I quickly turned my head and focused on the little project.

There was another moment of silence and then he asked, “May I be so bold as to ask if I can speak with you honestly?”

I looked at him out of the corner of my eye and said, “You can.”

“Thank you,” he replied. “I actually had my buddy put the glitch into my music player.”

I looked at him confused and asked, “Why would you do that?”

Now he blushed and stammered out, “I, I wanted an excuse to talk to you, with you.”

“Okay, now I’m really confused,” I said and turned to really look at him.

“Um,” he said hesitantly. “The first time I saw you, I was floored by how beautiful you are. I wanted to go over and talk with you that first day, but I got too shy. Since then, I’ve been trying to rack my brain to get the courage enough to talk to you. Then I found out you were a council member and close friends with the Manassas Pakstoka and your council leader, it made you seem more unapproachable.”

“You think I’m beautiful,” I whispered.

He nodded and gave me a side grin, “Yes. I don’t understand why you don’t have a string of men following you trying to get your attention.”

“That, my friend,” Monty said as he laid his hands on my shoulders, “is because she never leaves the lab except for mealtimes and sleep.”

“Shut up, Monty,” I said and pushed him away from me.

He left us alone, laughing all the way to his side of the lab.

“You’ll have to forgive him,” I said and then yelled, “He’s an ASSHOLE.”

Monty just laughed harder.

“I can understand not wanting to leave your lab when you’re working on something,” Tommy said quietly. “When I’m working on a motor or rebuilding a machine, I get lost in it so much that I lose all sense of time. But, I’m so happy when I’ve that motor purring like a new born kitten or seeing a machine that I’ve rebuilt or made working like it’s supposed to. Those are the moments I look forward to.”

“You’re a mechanic,” I asked pleasantly surprised.

He puffed out his chest and smiled big, “Yes, ma’am. One of the best or so says my C.O.”

“Isn’t it just awesome to see those pieces come together and work in harmonious synchronicity,” I said, dreamily.

“Oh, yes I do,” he replied. “You’re a mechanic, too?”

I looked at him and smiled, “I’ve always been more comfortable with machines and computers. They’re easy to speak to.”

“They are, but I find that most people are just as easy to speak to, unless of course, you’re shy.”

“Well, you’ve seen to have overcome your shyness,” I said chuckling.

“That’s because you’re easy to talk to.”

That made me blush again and I turned back to the computer. It was done and I gently unhooked his player and handed it back to him.

He took it, but it seemed like his hand lingered over mine a tad longer than necessary and that same feeling seemed to shoot up my arm, warm and tingling.

“It’s all done,” I said, once I was able to speak again. “Good as new, but you’re buddy is terrible at his power. He almost killed it.”

He took the player out of my hand and tucked it back into his side pocket and replied, “The jerk. I told him to make it so that it would take a little longer to fix, he must have thought I meant nearly destroyed. That is so, not cool.”

“No, it’s not. Not with something that means that much to you,” I said softly.

“Thank you. And thank you for allowing me to speak plainly to you,” he said ducking his head.

“Your welcome. It was nice meeting you, Tommy.”

“It was a pleasure meeting you, ma’am. I’m glad I finally got to,” he said and stood up.

“Tommy, please stop calling me ma’am. Makes me feel like someone’s grandmother. You can just call me Raven,” I said smiling up at him.

His smiled widened and said, “I’ll be sure to do that the next chance we come across one another, Raven. Hey, if you ever want to test ride one of our buggies, just let me know and I’ll hook you up.”

I laughed and replied, “I’ll keep that in mind, but honestly I’ve been eyeing Nyx’s motorbike a tad too much.”

“We got a couple of those, too. Not as suped up as hers, but they are fun to ride.”

“Then I might just take you up on that offer.”

He nodded and then quickly dashed out of the room. Monty came over and leaned against the desk and gave me a pointed look.

“What,” I asked.

“That’s the first time I’ve seen you blush and laugh like that with anyone. You like him,” Monty said, matter of factly.

“Whatever. He’s just a guy,” I said trying to off play the fact that I did find him attractive.

“A guy that purposefully broke something that he has sentimental feelings for, called you beautiful, and loved the fact that you’re a mechanic,” Monty replied. “He obviously likes you.”

“Psh, come on, Nyx’s given me an idea how we can keep the shield intact,” I said steering the conversation away from Tommy.


	48. Clarke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two councils finally meet one another.

I paced nervously back in forth in the kitchen and looking at the clock. I still had an hour before the joint council meeting and I didn’t know what to do with myself. Dani and Nyx were hiding up in Nyx’s room for the moment and I wondered briefly what they were up to, but I couldn’t bring myself to go up to them. Sephy and the rest of the council members were already at Town Hall and getting the council room ready. I was so nervous that I was shooting random sparks into the air. 

Finally, I heard a pair of footsteps approach the kitchen and I looked up hopefully. I sighed in relief at seeing them and they came over and enveloped me in a tight embrace. 

“Clarke, honey,” Nyx said softly as she kissed the top of my head, “It’s going to be alright.”

“I’m just so nervous,” I said into Dani’s chest. “I’m meeting Lexa’s council for the first time as the leader of my council. I’m scared of what they’ll think of me. That they’ll judge me.”

Dani chuckled softly, “Niron, they will judge you, but it’ll also give you a chance to judge them. Take this opportunity to watch them and get a feel for them. Some of the council members have been there since her mother’s time. Some are very new to their seat. You may actually see something that Lexa doesn’t.”

I looked up at her and asked, “What do you mean?”

“What she means,” Nyx said, “is that you may be able to see a threat that these people may present where Lexa won’t. She’s your lifemate. There’s an overwhelming need to protect. Use that and feel them out. I’ll be doing the same.”

“You will?”

“My job,” she said, kissing me gently, “is to protect the both of you. As is Dani’s. This is too important of a meeting to have someone try to dissuade or hinder what has to be done. Your council agrees with you, so you have the full backing of them. Don’t let Lexa’s try to bully you.”

“That only makes me feel a tiny less nervous,” I replied honestly.

“How much time do we have, Dani,” Nyx asked.

“A little less than an hour,” she replied.

“That’s enough time, I think.”

“Wait, what are you talking about,” I asked as they guided me out of the kitchen.

“There’s one very good way to relax and pass the time to get your mind off of this,” Dani replied with a slow smile.

Nyx left and walked down the hall a bit and opened a door. She jerked her head and we followed her into a bedroom.

“What,” was the only word I got out before they showed me exactly what they meant.

 

We arrived at the council room with ten minutes to spare. Sephy took one look at us and stormed over.

“What did you do, Nyx,” she demanded.

I looked over in surprise and finally saw what she meant.

“I had Dani cut my hair,” she replied, unruffled.

“But it’s all gone,” she whined.

For the first time this afternoon, I took a really good look at her and noticed that she had really cut her hair.

“I still have hair, Seph. I’m not bald.”

“But why?”

“I needed a change. You don’t like it,” Nyx asked a little hurt.

Now, I understood why it was so much easier to run my hands through it earlier.

“It’s just, It’s just so different,” Seph said, stepping back to get a better look. “You’ve always kept your hair long.”

“And in a braid,” Nyx replied. “I hardly ever have it down. When I do, it hangs nearly to my knees. I just wanted to do something different.”

“You know Lexa is going to be pissed.”

Nyx smirked and replied, “I know. She’ll get over it.”

“Fine,” Seph grumbled, “At least hair grows back.”

Nyx laughed and hugged her, “It does.”

Seph left and went back to where she had been sitting.

I looked over at Nyx and she was looking at me shyly and asked, “Are you okay with it? It’s not too much?”

I walked over to her and hugging her, I said, “It’s not too much. I like running my hands through it.”

“Thank you,” she said and kissed me. “Come one. It’s almost time. We should take our places.”

I nodded and we walked over. I sat down with Nyx and Dani standing behind and to either side of me. I looked around and everyone seemed just as nervous. Then it was time. The middle of the table sprang to life and we found ourselves staring at Lexa and her council.

I cleared my throat and said, “ _de Pakstoka_ , you honor us with your presence. Thank you for agreeing to this joint meeting.”

“The honor is mine, Chancellor Griffin. I have made my Council aware of the situation that your people have brought to our attention.”

“Thank you for doing so, _de Pakstoka_. My council and I realize that the Ice Pack is as much as a threat to us as it is to your people. We are hoping to work with you in order to protect both our peoples and this territory.”

“That’s only because it was one of your people that has wormed their way into the Ice Pack,” an old man with whiskers barked out. 

I felt Nyx lean down and whisper, “That’s Councilor Nikolai Drovich. He’s the representative of the Northern Border. He’s a rather mean bastard, so you’ll have to be blunt and stand up to him.” 

“That is true, Councilor,” I replied. “The man you speak of is a human who we expelled from our camp and _de Pakstoka_ kindly expelled him from the territory. He presented a viable threat to my people and had to be removed in order to keep our humans in line. If you say that he wormed his way into Ice Pack territory, it is only because they purchased him at one of the slave markets. He is their slave, not ours.” 

“You say that he’s a viable threat,” a female Councilor spoke up. 

Dani leaned over this time and whispered, “That’s Councilor Erica Gardner. She’s new to the seat. I haven’t got much intel on her yet.” 

I nodded slightly and turned my attention to her and replied, “That is correct. He threatened to attack us and take control of Manassas for him and his people, killing us in the process.” 

They all took a collective gasp and I heard rumblings about the outrage.

“Councilors, please,” Lexa ordered. “We’ve now established that this human is not to be trusted. It’s also been established that this man is a slave of the Bear King. Because of this we cannot outright kill him nor can we let him into our territory knowing that he plans on spying for the Bear King. This meeting is to discuss a solution to prevent him from entrance and keep our territory from possible invaders.” 

I looked at Lexa’s councilors and I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I turned my head slightly and noticed a man that seemed overly interested in a pen he was fiddling with. Uncapping and capping it in a pattern. I waved my hand slightly to get Nyx’s attention. 

She leaned down and I whispered, “The man on the far right. Middle age, mouse brown hair, glasses.” 

“I see him,” she whispered. 

“Watch what he does with his pen. It’s like he’s doing it in a pattern. I think it repeats every so often.” 

There was a bit of silence and then she whispered, “It is a pattern. It’s ancient Morse code. It says, ‘Manassas. Humans. Ice Pack. Threat’.” 

“Who’s he sending it to,” I asked. 

She growled low at her throat and I could feel a slow rage build in her. I turned my attention back to the screen and saw Lexa look up suddenly and peer at the man I was talking about. 

“Councilor Kilpatrick,” Lexa said, calmly. “That’s an interesting pen you have there. May I?” 

He was startled enough to accidentally stick himself hard enough with the tip that a bead of blood seeped out of his finger, but quickly said, “Of course, _de Pakstoka_ ,” and handed it over. 

Lexa inspected it and actually broke it apart into it’s individual pieces. She lifted up the cap and blew gently into it and out fell out what looked like a tiny transmitter. Immediately guards grabbed him and hauled him away. Another guard gathered up the pieces of the pen, while Lexa quietly gave him orders. 

“I fear that I must apologize for that display, Chancellor,” Lexa said as if we were having an everyday conversation and that nothing had happened. “I’ve had to replace several of my councilors and they were too quickly vetted it would seem.” 

“All is forgiven, _de Pakstoka_ ,” I replied smoothly. “It is unfortunate that you have had to deal with such disloyalty in such a short period of time.” 

“Thank you for understanding, Chancellor,” she said. “My councilors have come up with several ideas that they believe may help remove the threat.” 

“As have mine. Shall we trade?” 

“Let’s.” 

We exchanged a myriad of ideas but they were each shut down by both sides and we came to the one that held the most promise. 

“I am afraid, _de Pakstoka_ ,” I said, forlornly. “That none of the ideas our people have come up with leaves us with much hope of keeping our people safe. You personally do not have enough manpower and we are still dealing with our humans to offer much in the way of support to protect the borders.” 

“That does sadden me, Chancellor,” she replied smoothly. “But did you not mention before I left Manassas that there was one more possible solution?” 

“I did, but unfortunately there is no one person or persons in either of our people that could create it,” I replied, my voice carefully pitched to sound defeated. 

“What is this idea that you had, Chancellor,” Councilor Richards, representative of the Western Border, asked. 

“Councilor, I really do not think that it is prudent to bring it up when there is no one capable of completing the task,” I replied. 

“Does your council believe that if we did have people that could complete it, that it would work?” 

There was a course of ayes from my council and I said, “Yes. It’s probably the only solution that would prevent the Ice Pack from getting it’s grips back into the Forest Pack territory.” 

“Then please tell us what the possible solution is.” 

“ _de Pakstoka_ ,” I inquired. 

“I give you my permission,” she replied, nodding her head slightly. 

“Thank you,” I replied, “Forest Pack Council could you please turn your attention to the second screen and Councilor Reyes will show you the plan.” 

Raven gave me one panicked look and I gave her an encouraging smile. 

She took a deep breath and began, “Councilors, this is the territory that the Forest Pack currently holds. It’s rather large and hard to keep watch on the borders at all times. Hence, why you worry about invaders finding their way in. The solution is quite simple, in reality. We simply cut ourselves off from the rest of the world. Before you ask about how that can be accomplished, this is how we propose to do it.” 

She then started laying down poles alongside the border and then further inland until there was a single huge pole in the center of the territory. 

“Along these metallic poles at the border,” she said, “we planned that a ward would be placed, using the poles as support. This would of course, keep people and vehicles out of the territory that is shorter than the height or our poles, some twenty feet, I believe. This would not keep out any kind of flying craft or weapons out of the territory.” 

She placed an image of a ward going from pole to pole until the the territory was surround by one huge ward. 

“This next step is where my team comes in,” she said, her confidence showing through her voice. “We then build an impenetrable shield, much like we have here in Manassas. Because of the size of it and the height that we wish to maintain, we’d have to place larger and larger poles systematically throughout the territory until they reach the largest, which would stand some five miles straight up. This is the height that the strongest drone can maintain for only a short period of time. This is what the shield would look like if it were visible.” 

She gave us a side view of the territory and the shield ended up looking like a rounded step pyramid. I also noticed that it did extend several feet underground. 

There was a look of amazement as she completed the simulation. She spun it around slowly so that they could set it from all sides. 

“You said that this would be impenetrable along with the wards,” one of the councilors asked. 

“I did, Councilor,” she replied. “The shield and ward would only be impenetrable to people or manmade objects. The only points of entry would be at the border gates. The shield and ward at those spots would work in tandem when the Gate Commander locks and unlocks the ward placed there. Much like what happens when we ward a room. Air, weather, flora, fauna would remain unaffected.” 

“Tell me why that this solution would not work,” Councilor Drovich demanded. 

“In order for this to work,” Raven replied, “someone would need to create a true living model of our territory, including the ground underneath the surface about a hundred feet down. From there, a metal mage would construct the poles on the model which would then happen in the real world. At that point, the wards would be put into place and the shield placed on top of that. In order to be successful, Councilors, there also needs to be a coordinated communication with each Gate Commander to create the entrances of those gates. Each Commander has to work simultaneously in order to allow those entrances. If they stagger it, the ward and shield will become permanent and we will never be able to leave again.” 

“Councilors,” I said bringing their attention back to me. “This solution is only viable if we have extremely strong earth mages, metal mages, and a mage strong enough to build such a strong and long ward. From speaking with _de Pakstoka_ , this territory does not have anyone strong enough to do this. That is why I pushed this idea off to the side.” 

“Are the two of you positive about that,” Councilor Stevens, representative of the Southern Pack, asked. 

“We are,” Lexa answered. “There is no one with that kind of power.” 

“I beg your pardon, _de Pakstoka_ , but does not your acting Second, Nyx Allistar, possess the particular powers that we need?” 

“She does and she does peg out on a power reader,” Lexa said. “Unfortunately, she does not have enough power to complete these multiple tasks and survive. This would kill her.” 

Now, it was Nyx’s time to play ball and she said, “I beg to differ, _de Pakstoka_. I am indeed powerful enough to complete these tasks and survive.” 

Lexa glared at Nyx and said, “You are just freshly recovered from your ordeal, Ms. Allistar. There is no way that you are recovered enough or powerful enough to take on such a tremendous effort.” 

“I have to politely disagree with you, _de Pakstoka_ ,” she said, her voice hinting that she was enjoying this show. “A few days ago, I took it upon myself to test exactly how strong I was since my powers normally peg out on a normal reader. I recruited Councilor Reyes to build a more powerful reader and cameras that could withstand just about anything. We have the footage here, if you’d like to watch it?” 

The Forest Pack councilors whispered among themselves and I felt Nyx lay a hand on my shoulder and I reached up and gave it a gentle squeeze. I felt three caresses across my bonds with them and I knew that we supported each other. Finally, they came to a decision and Councilor Drovich leaned in to speak with Lexa. She nodded, but she didn’t look happy at what he told her. 

He leaned back as Lexa sighed and said, “The council would like to see this footage.” 

I nodded and Raven cued up the footage. She hit play and there was a side by side view of what was going on in the room from both Nyx’s point of view and the cameras laid out, and the improved power reader. Now, everyone had gotten the chance to see exactly what Nyx was truly capable of doing. They gasped in horror as the fake landscape was destroyed by the fire tornados and then it was over. 

There was a moment of silence and then Councilor Richards spoke up, “Ms. Allistar, how is it possible that you also used lightning and air in this experiment?” 

“I am bonded to Chancellor Griffin and Daniela Rendon. Chancellor Griffin is a lightning mage and Ms. Rendon is an air mage,” she replied, unruffled by the question. “Through the bond I am allowed access to their powers. It is not harmful to them in any manner, I assure you.” 

“Which means that you are quite capable of warding and shielding us from anybody we do not wish to admit into our territory,” Councilor Gardner said. 

“Yes, Councilor.” 

“Chancellor Griffin, your council agrees that this is the best solution?” 

“Yes,” I replied. 

“ _de Pakstoka_ ,” she said. “If you agree, we would like to end this meeting so that we may discuss this plan more privately.” 

Lexa looked up at me and asked, “Is this reasonable to you, Chancellor?” 

“It is, but I must forewarn you that the human is already on the move and we have yet to determine which gate he will try to enter through. There is not much time for your Council to decide, _de Pakstoka_ ,” I said earnestly. 

“Thank you for that update, Chancellor,” Lexa replied. “I will contact you once a decision has been made.” 

“Thank you, _de Pakstoka_. I look forward to hearing from you soon,” I replied and the feed cut out. 

The tension left my body and I laid my head on the table, suddenly exhausted. I felt hands stroking my hair and back and I sat back up a bit until I was resting on my elbows. 

“You did an excellent job, Clarke,” Nyx said as she crouched beside me. 

“That you did,” Dani seconded. “You handled this like you’ve been doing this all your life.” 

“Lexa says that you were wonderful and if she were here right now, she’d show you exactly how wonderful,” Nyx whispered in my ear. 

I shivered, feeling her breath on my ear and closed my eyes in pleasure. Nyx and Dani backed away from me as everyone else came up to speak with me. They moved away from me to speak with Sephy and I immediately wanted them back. They both looked at me as if they heard me and gave me a nod each. They’d be back soon. 

Later that night, I was nestled between Nyx and Dani as we watched an old movie on a vidscreen I had moved into my room. 

“Do you think we did enough to impress them to agree to this,” I asked quietly. 

“I think so,” Dani replied, but Nyx was quiet. 

“Nyx?” 

“I’m sorry, love,” she said and kissed me on my forehead, “It was enough, but I don’t like the fact that I needed to expose myself to them like that.” 

“It was your idea,” Dani said. 

“I know,” she replied, and rubbed her hand through her hair making it stick up in some places, “the meeting left me with a bad taste in my mouth.” 

“Do you think one of the Councilors will try something,” I asked worriedly. 

“I don’t know and that’s what is bothering me. I’ve known most of them since we were children and I keep feeling like one of them always seemed to have a greedy look on their face when they saw me using my powers. I just can’t remember who it was.” 

“Does Lexa know about this,” Dani asked. 

“Yeah, she does. I told her the first chance I got to.” 

“Well, it’s not going to be solved tonight,” I said as I straddled Nyx’s hips. “Why don’t we forget about the meeting for now.” 

She pulled me down to her and she kissed with with such a depth of love, that my heart rejoiced and returned the favor. That was the beginning of a very long wintry night for us. 


	49. Nyx

I woke up to the faint tingling of ants beginning to crawl on my skin, and I groaned in annoyance. It was almost the winter solstice and I disliked it very much. I was just glad that it wasn’t one of the equinoxes and the ant sensation wouldn’t be as bad as it was then.

I sat up and ran my hand through my hair as I slowly came to full wakefulness. 

_Lex, sweetheart are you awake?_

It took a few heartbeats and then she replied, _No. I didn’t get to go to sleep until 4 this morning._

_Okay, I’ll let you go back to sleep._

_It’s okay, Nyx. What’s bothering you?_

_It’s almost the solstice and I know you have a hard time with it. I’m worried._

_Oh, baby, I’ll be okay. I’ve already got it planned out._

_That’s good. I miss you._

_I miss you, too. Something else is bothering you, isn’t it?_

_Yes. There was just something about that meeting that I can’t put my finger on and it feels like it might be connected with the solstice._

_Do you think someone might try to hurt me?_

_I don’t know. I haven’t told Clarke because I don’t want her to worry, especially since I can’t figure out what I’m worried about._

_If you’re that worried, I’ll take extra precautions, sweetheart._

_I’m gonna send Dani, Lex. I don’t want you to be alone without one of us there with you._

_Have you told her this yet?_

_No, not yet. I’ll talk to her when she wakes up._

_Okay. I trust you._

_Thank you. I love you._

_Love you, too. Can I go back to sleep now?_

_Yes, my love. I’m sorry I woke you up._

_Never be sorry, Nyx. Never._

_Okay_ , with that I broke the link and pulled my knees to my chest and just let my thoughts flow.

I heard Clarke groan as she woke up and I turned to look at her.

“Ow,” she said, wincing as she rolled her shoulders to try and ease the discomfort.

“Are you okay, Clarke,” I asked.

“My shoulders are killing me,” she said and she reached up to rub one of the spots on her shoulders, but stilled her hand and her eyes widened in surprise.

“Clarke, what is it,” I asked worriedly.

She silently lifted her hair, exposing the area where her neck and shoulder met.

“Is it what I think it is,” she asked a tad fearfully.

I nodded as I scooted closer to her and inspected the bite mark. I could tell it was mine. With a look of consternation, I gently lifted the hair on the other side and exposed Dani’s bite mark.

I looked down quickly at my chest and my breath left my lungs as I sighed in relief. She hadn’t claimed me. I smacked Dani upside her head and startled her awake.

She glared at me through sleepy eyes and said, “What’d you do that for? I was asleep.”

“Our freaking wolves are numbskulls, Dani,” I said and pointed, “Look.”

She sat up and rubbed her eyes so that she could see better. She leaned close and looked at both sides of Clarke’s neck.

“Fuck,” she screeched and scooted back and then patted herself down checking to see if she’d been branded. She gave a loud sigh of relief and rejoined us at the head of the bed.

Clarke looked at the both of us in stunned disbelief and said, “This wasn’t intentional?”

“No, it wasn’t,” I said apologetically. “Our wolves seemed to think it was a good idea. If you take the inhibitor off, I can heal them.”

“Why would your wolves think it was a good idea?”

Just then, Dani groaned in annoyance and stood up to do a fidget dance before she crawled back into bed.

“Are you okay, Dani,” she asked.

“Fucking winter solstice,” Dani moaned. “It’s like an annoying gnat that won’t leave you the fuck alone no matter what you do.”

Sudden realization hit me and I snarled in irritation, “Those fucking bitches. They took advantage of this.”

“Time out, what the hell are you talking about,” Clarke asked.

“Sometimes our wolf half gets ideas in it’s head and does something that our human side would disagree with,” Dani said. “When it comes to those times of the year, they get stronger as our human side gets weaker. The solstices are times when the balance between wolf and human are only slightly unbalanced, unlike the equinoxes.”

“So, our wolves decided to take advantage of the fact and claimed you. Luckily, you didn’t claim us back and I can rectify it.”

“Well, what if I don’t want you to,” Clarke asked, looking me in the eyes and I took a sharp inhale of breath.

“Dude, we can’t finish this,” Dani said, poking me in the side. “Lexa will kill us.”

I shook my head to clear it and said, “You’re right. She would. Clarke, since you and Lexa are lifebonded, you can’t accept our claims. Not until after the two of you have claimed each other.”

“Why would it matter when it happens,” she asked.

I sighed in frustration and replied, “Life bonds are extremely delicate until the claiming occurs. If you claim someone first that is not your lifemate, it turns the bond ugly. Instead of a loving, honest, open relationship, it becomes the opposite. Distrustful, hate, jealousy. Eventually, one will kill the other and then that one will die because lifemates don’t live long past their bonded.”

“Nope, don’t want that,” Clarke said as she moved closer. “Nope, na-uh. Don’t want to die young. Give me your head, Nyx.”

I snickered at the comment, but obediently laid my head down so she could take the inhibitor off of me. I shivered slightly as the power settled in me and promptly laid my hands on her shoulders and healed the bites. When I lifted my hands off of her, you’d never know that they were there. She leaned over and kissed me soundly and my fire caressed her and she moaned in pleasure.

“God, I forgot how good your fire feels,” she said as she leaned back and relaxed against Dani. 

“I barely felt that Nyx,” Dani said with a smile. “There was no surge. You’re gaining control.”

I nodded, “I only shivered when it settled back into place this time.”

Clarke looked at me dreamily and asked, “Touch me again with your fire.”

I chuckled and replied, “No, my love. No more fire.”

She pouted but she obliged me and put the inhibitor back on and said, “I can’t wait until you don’t need this anymore.”

I caught her hand and kissed the inside of her wrist, making her eyes close at the feeling, “Soon, _niron_.”

I could feel her desire coursing through our bond and continued to kiss my way up her arm until I captured her mouth. This time around, we were hyperaware of our wolves and we left her unmarked.

 

“Will you stop doing that, Dani,” I complained. “You’re just making it harder on yourself.”

Dani sat back down at the kitchen table and glared at me, “How are you not bothered by this?”

I shrugged and replied, “It was never such a big deal for me, remember? Being near Clarke actually seems to be negating the worst of it.”

Clarke looked up at me in surprise and said, “Being near me is helping?”

I nodded and tilted my head to the side as I looked at her thoughtfully and replied, “Mm-hm. Didn’t you tell me that when Octavia and her pack were waiting for the Harvest Moon Run, they found that it helped if they were cuddling with one another?”

“Yeah, I did,” she replied and then it dawned on her, “It’s the human contact that helps. But I thought it only works if you’re holding someone, not near someone.”

“If that’s the case,” Dani said and then promptly lifted Clarke out of her chair and settled her on her own lap. “Oh, that’s much better.”

Clarke laughed and smacked Dani’s hand, but stayed.

“I’d say that it’s because you and I have spent a lot more time together than with this knucklehead,” I replied. “You seemed to have tamed my wolf.”

Dani snorted, “You mean she’s got you wrapped around her little finger. Wolfie wants to keep Clarke happy.”

“Shut up, Dani,” I grumbled.

“I think it’s kinda cute,” Clarke said, smiling at me.

I blushed and replied, “Thanks, I guess.”

“So, do you have a plan for the day?”

“I do,” I said with a grin. “The Manassas pack are going to train their asses off to the point that they forget the solstice is tomorrow.”

“Exhaustion is always good,” Dani replied.

“You, Dani, are going to Clifton to spend it with Lexa.”

“What? Why?”

_I’ve got a bad feeling that something may happen tomorrow. Ever since the meeting. I want you there to protect her._

_Got it._

_Thank you._

“Alright,” Dani grumbled. “I’ll go.”

“Think of it this way, Dani. We don’t have to share for one night,” I said with a small grin that didn’t quite reach my eyes.

Clarke glared at me and said, “Hey, I’m not some toy or the last piece of meat that you have to share.”

“No, you’re not,” I said with a wicked smile. “I just want you for myself.”

Dani sniggered, “She called herself a piece of meat.”

“Hey,” Clarke said and bounced in Dani’s lap making her oomph.

I laughed and got up from the table.

“Where are you going,” Clarke asked.

“I am going to change and drag everyone down into the training room. Then I am going to kick Seph’s ass,” I replied as I came over and kissed her.

“Ooh, that’s going to be a show,” Dani said and gently lifted Clarke off of her.

“Why do you say that,” Clarke said as she straightened her clothes.

“Neither of them have had a chance to spar against each other, yet,” Dani replied. “Nyx hasn’t really had a sparring partner in a while and Seph has never sparred with someone of Nyx’s caliber.”

“Are you sure you’re up for that, Nyx,” she asked worriedly.

“It’s just weight loss, Clarke,” I told her gently. “I’m strong enough to fight and we won’t be using weapons or powers. Just ourselves. It’ll be good for the both of us.”

“Alright,” she sighed. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“That’s the beauty of being involved with a werewolf,” Dani said as she hugged her in reassurance. “We heal when we get hurt.”

“That doesn’t reassure me, at all.”

“Come on,” Dani said and gently tugged Clarke, “Let’s gather the troops and snag a front row seat. I am not going to miss this.”

“God, you’re horrible, Dani,” I said and rolled my eyes at her. “You just want her to hide her head in your shoulder.”

Dani gave me a sly grin and replied, “Maybe.”

I sighed, “Go get everyone downstairs while I change.”

“God, you’re sexy when you get all commanderish.”

“Shut up, Dani, or I’ll take you on next and that is not a word,” I threatened.

Her eyes widened and she said, “I’ll shut up. I do not want to spar with you.”

“Why don’t you want to spar with Nyx,” Clarke asked as they walked out of the kitchen.

Dani leaned in and whispered in Clarke’s ear and I heard her gasp. I chuckled to myself and ran up the three flights of stairs to my room.

When I got to the training room, the Manassas pack were sitting around the large central mat waiting in anticipation. Seph was already on the mat, stretching herself out. I kicked off my shoes at the edge of the mat and walked to my side and stretched. When we were ready we squared off.

“Ground rules, Seph,” I called out. “Absolutely no powers, wolf or weapons. Everything else goes. Understand?”

“Got it,” she said, nodding.

We approached the middle of the mat and I said, “Dani, call it.”

“Go,” Dani called out and we started circling one another.

At this moment, neither one of us were sisters. We were opponents and we wouldn’t hold back. I feinted and she stuttered step slightly, but didn’t follow through. I feinted again and she attacked my weaker side. I blocked and easily countered. We started attacking in earnest and I felt myself becoming super focused on the fight. I glanced at Seph and saw that she was doing the same thing. I grinned and in the next move, I sent her sailing across the mat. She managed to flip herself in the air and landed on all fours, skidding to a stop. I didn’t give her a chance to recover before I was on her again. I went to kick her but she grabbed my foot and pulled, making me lose my balance and landed on the mat with an oomph. She scrambled up and tried to stomp my head, but I rolled out of the way and knocked her onto the ground. I rolled on top of her and we started wrestling. Each of us able to to counter and escape. I broke away and stepped back a bit to get some air as I watched Seph get up warily. She charged and attacked me with a flurry of punches, most of them I blocked, but there were a few that landed true. I brought myself in close and bear hugged her. She smashed her head into my nose, making my eyes water as I felt it crack and blood flow from it, and I let her go. I wiped the blood on my arm and looked at it bemusedly before I turned my attention back to her. This time I charged her and slid when I was a few feet away from her and swung my legs catching hers, making her crash to the floor and knocking the wind out of her. I returned the favor and then flung her across the room. She got back up and and ran at me to try and tackle me. As her arms wrapped around the middle, I grabbed her around the middle and I used her momentum to to flip us over until I was on top of her. I went to punch her head, but she moved it at the last second so I only connected with the mat. She took that moment to heave me off of her. I landed on my back but I flipped myself back onto my feet just in time to block a kick to my head. I punched her in her chest and she went sliding back a few feet. She leaned over and I grabbed her head to bring my knee up to it, but she blocked me and punched me in the gut.

I felt my control start to slip and I backed away from her as I got myself back under control. I looked over at Seph and noticed that she was slipping too. 

“Seph, control yourself,” I bellowed and she shook her head and I saw some of her control return. “Control it, Seph!”

She growled at me and came at me hard. Her punches and kicks became a blur and she was landing more and more strikes. I growled in frustration as I felt my control begin to slip again. I punched her hard enough that I felt her ribs crack from it and she flew backwards and landed on the mat hard. She rolled onto her side and tried to stand up, holding her ribs, as I stalked towards her. She got onto her feet, all control gone and I felt the last of mine leave. We were no longer sparring, we were at the point that we wanted to kill. She launched herself at me with a feral growl and I easily swatted her away. I jumped and aimed a punch at her head that would have crushed it if she hadn’t been quick enough to roll out of the way. I growled at the miss and turned my head in the direction she had moved in. She was getting back on her feet and launched herself onto my back and punched me squarely in the ear. I roared in pain and and hefted myself backwards and landed on top of her. I felt something break and she cried out in pain. I got off of her and hauled her up by her neck. I stood there, slowly squeezing the life out of her as she worked on removing my fingers from her neck. It wasn’t working, so she grabbed my wrist and jabbed her thumb into a weak spot and forced me to let her go. She scrambled out of the way, clutching her chest and throat as she fought to breathe. I smiled at the near demise and walked slowly towards her, intent of finishing her off. She continued to back away. I felt something in the air and I turned in the direction and flung my arm hastily upwards and blocked a knife that had been aimed at my head. The knife struck me in between the bones of my forearm and stopped a mere inch from my face. I bellowed in pain and felt myself being thrown across the mat. The impact shook me out of the state I was in and I sat up slowly as I brought myself back under control.

I felt someone approach me and I looked up to see Clarke approaching me cautiously.

“Don’t,” I said, stopping her. “I’m not quite back in control. Give me a few minutes and go check on Seph. She’s got broken ribs and a broken nose.”

“Your arm,” she said.

I lifted it up and looked at it, the knife still there, “It’ll be fine. Go.”

She took the hint and went to the other side of the mat where most people had gathered. When I had my breathing under control and felt my own control slip back into place, I slowly got up and winced at the pain of the many punches that had landed. I wrapped an arm around my gut and walked slowly towards Seph. When I neared, the pack parted fearfully away from me, leaving me a clear path. When I got to the center, I saw that Jackson was already beginning to heal her. I kneeled down beside her and turned her head to look at me. Her left eye was swollen shut. I looked over her and grunted at what I saw.

“You lost control, Seph,” I said.

“I know. I’m sorry,” she replied hoarsely.

“You made me lose control. You never, ever lose control, Seph. When you do, good people die. We become the absolute worst of ourselves. We become monsters, do you understand me?”

“I do,” she said softly. “You lost control, didn’t you.”

I nodded gruffly, “I did. Why do you think no one lived that day?”

Understanding dawned on her face and I got back up and walked away to a table that had towels laid out. I pulled the knife out with a grunt of pain and then wrapped it tight to stem the blood flow. I leaned heavily on my arms and bowed my head as I remembered that day. The looks of horror and fear, bodies trembling as I stole their lives away. Seeing the look of betrayal on my brother’s face right before I tore through him. The sounds of screaming as I ripped Lexa’s sisters apart with my bare hands. I felt tears stream down my face as I mourned their loss.

I felt a hand lay gently on my shoulder and my body relaxed immediately. I turned and brought Clarke into a tight embrace as I cried at the memory. She did nothing more than soothe and comfort me and it eased my tears. I lessened my hold on her, but didn’t release her.

“Are you okay,” she asked gently.

“No, but I will be,” I replied as I leaned back and looked at her. “I was remembering and I was mourning. This time it was more cathartic instead of oppressive. I know what I did, I paid for it, I learned from it, and I’m better for it.”

“Which means that Niylah really did help.”

“Yes. She did. Which means I’m not going to freak out,” I said with a grin and felt dried blood crack from it. “Ugh, she broke my nose.”

I let her go and grabbed my nose and twisted and winced as it cracked back into place. I felt fresh blood flow and I grabbed a towel to stop it.

“How’s your arm,” she asked as she looked at the blood drenched towel I’d wrapped around it.

“It’ll be fine,” I replied. “How are you doing? I know that this wasn’t something that anyone anticipated happening.”

“I’m frightened, horrified, and I now have a greater understanding of how dangerous weres can be,” she said shuddering. “I can see why you keep yourself so tightly wrapped up.”

I nodded, “It’s important to train our minds to maintain control. To keep the balance between man and beast. When we slip, things like this happen. I’m just lucky that Seph threw that knife at me and I was tossed away. I was about to kill her.”

I looked up as I heard footsteps approach us. It was Jackson, Seph, and Dani. Dani of course, was shaking her head in disappointment. Sephy was limping and still had a arm wrapped around her chest. I sighed and let go of Clarke.

“How many,” I asked Sephy.

“All of them,” she replied, smiling at me weakly.

I grimaced, “I’m sorry. Once I lost it, I couldn’t pull my punches.”

She nodded, “You?”

“Only a few, but you’ve bruised some of my organs from the feel of it.”

“And you broke both of your noses,” Dani replied sourly.

“I’ve already set mine.”

“Let me see your arm, Nyx,” Jackson said.

I held out my arm and he unwrapped it. Without saying a word, he healed it and I felt the pain lessen in my torso as my ribs and organs were healed. I sighed in relief.

“What were you thinking about before you lost control, Seph,” I asked her.

“That I needed to prove myself to you,” she replied, quietly, head hanging down.

“Seph, look at me,” I said gently and she looked up. “There’s no need to prove anything to me. You’ve been trained by Indra, so I know you’re good. I have eight years of training on you. I’m also the strongest werewolf in the territory. The only thing that saved you was throwing the knife at my head and then tossing me away from you. You cannot lose yourself like that again just to prove that you can match me in a fight.”

She nodded, “I think I understand that now, but I feel like I’m living underneath your shadow sometimes. You’ve got a reputation of being the best, and I feel like I’ll never live up to that.”

“Don’t,” I replied, sternly. “Build up your own reputation. Just because you’re my baby sister doesn’t mean that you have to live up to mine. We’re different people and we take our positions differently. I could never match you if I were ever to take a position of Second in a small pack, just like you could never step up to my duties. We were trained differently. So, don’t try to be like me. Just be the best Allistar that you can be.”

“How come you’re not mad at me,” she asked.

“I am mad at you,” I replied, “but I also understand. There’s a reason why I said no powers, wolf, or weapons. I would have killed you in minutes and I don’t want to lose you like that. I wanted to see how well you’ve progressed and you are very good. You should be proud of that. I lost my control because I felt that I had to protect myself. When I do, I don’t see the difference between friend or foe. All I see is someone that needs to be taken down. So, take it as a compliment that I felt the need to protect myself.”

“You should have stopped it when you saw that she was losing control,” Dani said to me.

“You’re right, I should have,” I replied. “This is on me.”

“Why are you placing the blame on yourself,” Octavia asked as she and Nate joined us.

I looked at her, considering her question and then said, “For several reasons. I issued the challenge, therefor I had a responsibility to ensure both of our safeties. If you see your sparring partner falter or you feel like it needs to end, you have the responsibility to call a halt to it. That way neither of you sustain injuries like we did. Secondly, I’m stronger than Seph. It was my responsibility to make sure that I didn’t injure her severely because of my strength. I didn’t pull my punches, but I still had to make sure that I didn’t hurt her too severely that she actually needed to be in the medical wing to properly heal. Lastly, I’m her Commanding Officer, which means I have a responsibility to her. I can’t jeopardize her ability to perform her duties. Which means that I have to look at her overall well being. If she’s unable to perform her duties, it means that there’s a weak spot. Which could lead to trouble.”

“I also have to take responsibility for my actions,” Seph said. “I’m responsible for every action I do. I didn’t realize that I’d lost control, because I’ve never experienced it before and I didn’t listen to Nyx when she told me I was. I failed to listen to my Commanding Officer. Since I’m her subordinate, it’s my responsibility to follow her commands, which I didn’t. I’m also responsible for her well being. If something happens to her and I find myself in a situation that I have no knowledge to keep it on track, I have to call and ask for help. Doing that means that someone has to leave their duties, which creates a weakness.”

“Like when Nyx broke down,” Nate said.

“Exactly that,” she replied nodding. “Indra had to come here, which hindered the Southern Pack. Luckily, since she has a Second that could pick up the slack and keep the pack safe.”

“So, the question I ask is what can you learn from this,” I asked them.

“First and foremost,” Octavia said, “Is that as leaders of a pack we must always be aware of our actions. We can’t be reckless or careless or it puts our pack in danger. At the same time, it is our responsibility to make sure that each pack member is well cared for and healthy for the sake of the entire pack. The safety of the pack is paramount, always.”

I nodded, glad that she was getting the grasp of it.

“We also have a responsibility to ourselves,” Nate said. “That we have to make sure that we’re healthy in both body and mind. We must never lose control of ourselves and if we feel like we’re losing it, we need to remove ourselves in order to regain control. When we lose control, we lose ourselves. Our humanity.”

“Good,” I replied. “Now you have a responsibility to teach that to your pack members. When you feel yourself slipping, you lose the part that makes us human. You also lose touch with reality. Your mind only focuses on the need to protect yourself at all costs no matter who approaches you or who you come across. You see them as a threat and it must be eliminated. Your mind literally thinks that it’s a life or death situation. Kill or be killed. Pure survival instincts.”

“And that’s always dangerous,” Dani said. “The best way to describe it is that we go completely wolf while in human form. If we can’t gain control of it or be snapped out of it, it could become permanent and you’ll automatically shift into a wolf and that’s the end of the person you once were. If that happens, it’s the responsibility of the pack to take that wolf down. For the simple fact that because they’ve been around humans and know how to get into structures, nothing can stop them from killing whoever they see.”

“Does that mean,” Clarke said, worriedly, “that if you had gone full wolf, you would’ve been put down.”

I nodded, “Yes. It’s the only way to ensure the safety of the people.”

She shuddered and I pulled her to me to reassure her that I was completely human. She sighed in relief as I leaned down and kissed her head.

“Now, that this conversation is over,” I said to Octavia. “Get your pack to training. If you haven’t noticed, the winter solstice is tomorrow. Tire them out, so that it doesn’t bug them too much. If it gets overwhelming for anyone, let them shift and run until they feel better, but it’s your responsibility to make sure that they shift back.”

She nodded and started barking orders to her pack. I watched as they lined up.

“And that’s my cue to pack some clothes so that I can reach the mansion before nightfall,” Dani said and kissed both of us before heading upstairs.

I looked at Seph and said, “You, bed, now. You need to finish healing.”

She sighed and followed Dani.

“You should be resting, too,” Clarke said as she looked up at me.

“I plan on it,” I replied, “but shower first, bed next.”

“Good. I’m going to head over to Town Hall and see how everything else is going.”

“Alright, I’ll see you later,” I said and gave her a hug as we went upstairs together.

Now that the adrenaline had completely worn off, the exhaustion hit me and I found myself dragging my feet up to my room. I took my shower and was asleep before my body hit the bed.

I felt someone stroking my head lightly and I turned over, thinking that it would be Clarke but was scared shitless at seeing the damn old woman again.

“Don’t do that, old woman,” I said angrily. “You can’t just randomly pop up whenever you want to.”

She chuckled at me and replied, “I can do whatever I damn well please, child.”

I growled low and said, “What do you want this time?”

“I wanted to see how you were doing, child, now that my daughter had a chance to heal your mind,” she replied with a gentle smile.

“My mind is sound and I’m working on regaining my weight,” I replied, already annoyed at her presence.

“That is good to hear, but why are you still wearing the inhibitor?”

“I still feel like I don’t have total control over my powers since it’s been proven that I do have limitless powers,” I replied.

She tsked and said, “All you have to do is go back to the way you thought before I told you.”

I shook my head and replied, “It’s not as easy as that anymore, Mother. They don’t exactly want to confine themselves to the boundaries.”

“Work on that, Nyx. What is it that you always tell others? Learn to control it, don’t let it control you.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Care to tell me why Cora is not a part of your family yet?”

“We’ve allowed her time to think over the implications of what it means to be adopted into one of our families,” I replied. “This is not a decision that can be forced upon her.”

“She must make a decision quickly, Nyx,” she replied, staring me down and I looked down in submission. “In particular, she needs to be adopted into your family.”

I looked up at her in surprise and asked, “My family? Why is that so important? You told us to inform her that she can join any of our families.”

“I know, child, but things are happening in ways I didn’t imagine possible and she needs to become your successor. She needs to be trained to become the Head Pack Second.”

I narrowed my eyes at her and said, “What aren’t you telling me, Mother? You wouldn’t be visiting me like this if something bad wasn’t about to happen.”

She sighed, “It all depends on how you will handle a certain situation, Nyx. I can’t tell you more than that. I’m sorry.”

I growled in frustration and got out of bed and started pacing, “You can’t keep doing this to me, Mother. You can’t give me tidbits and then leave me trying to figure it out what the hell you’re talking about. It’s distracting and pulls my attention from what I need to focus on.”

“I understand that, Nyx,” she said, sighing. “I can only see so much of the future. If I tell you what I see, then you alter the course that’s supposed to be. All I can do is provide you some guidance. Straight up interference with mortals is a no-no among the gods. You can guide, you can create, you can provide limited help. That’s all any of us can do.”

“Then why interfere at all,” I said angrily. “Let us bumble our way through life and if shit happens, shit happens. I mean seriously, I fell like I’ve been through hell and back for my entire life. When will it stop? When can I stop and live in a bit of peace. I’m growing tired, Mother.”

She stood up and placed a hand on my cheek and I closed my eyes at the comforting touch, “I know, my child. I know you’re tired of all of this, but one day this will be over and you’ll have your chance at peace. I am sorry that I’ve had to put this much weight of responsibility on your shoulders. That’s why I’ve given you as much support as I could with the people in your life. Just hang in there, Nyx.”

I sighed deeply and opened my eyes, “I’ll try, Mother. All I can do is try.”

She smiled kindly and said softly, “That’s my girl. You are doing me proud, child. Even if it all falls apart, I’m still proud of you because I know that you tried the hardest that you could. I could ask for no better daughter than you.”

“Thank you, Mother.”

“You better find your bondmate, Nyx. The solstice is starting to bother you. Don’t blame that on me, that would be my granddaughter, Selene.”

“Very well, Mother. I’ll speak with Cora about the adoption. You may want to visit her and influence her mind a bit. Would make my job easier.”

“I might just do that,” she said with a gleam in her eye. “Go, be with Clarke.”

I bowed my head, “Yes, Mother.”

When I looked up, she was gone. I sighed and dressed. Closing the door, I impulsively opened Dani’s and felt lonely that she wasn’t here. I focused on my bond with Clarke and it drew me to the kitchen. Walking in, I immediately felt better being near her. She was joking with her friends and I didn’t want to interrupt her fun.

Clarke happened to look up and I swore that her smile brightened up the room.

“There you are, sleepy head,” she said as she got up and hugged me tightly.

I wrapped her in my arms and kissed her soundly and said, “I was more tired than I realized. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, love. I’m just glad you’re here.”

I smiled and said, “Oh? And why is that?”

“We’re trying to convince her to take a holiday,” Raven said from the table. “Since Christmas is in a few days, it would be nice to throw everything to the side for one day and just celebrate.”

“That’s actually not a bad idea,” I said. “We usually have a week long celebration after the solstice. A chance to give thanks of another year of prosperity and celebrate the lives that we’ve lost over the year.”

“You celebrate the people that have died over the year,” Octavia asked.

“Not really the people, but their life,” I replied. “We share anecdotes, stories that they’ve told, the way they’ve impacted our lives. We celebrate them to remember them as they were alive, not how they died. We’ve already mourned their loss.”

“That’s kinda cool,” Nate said. “I like that, but why a week?”

I grinned and replied, “That’s usually how long it takes for us to sober up.”

“What are you all? A bunch of nymphomaniac drunks,” Raven said shaking her head.

“Eh, sometimes,” I replied. “There’s usually a lot of September babies. June babies. December babies. March babies.”

“And where do you fall,” Clarke asked.

“July 17th.”

“Which means that Lexa’s is the 16th and Dani’s is the 18th.”

“Yep. That’s why we usually had our birthday parties at the beach.”

“Hold up,” Raven said, throwing her hand up, “Are you telling us that the three of you are only a day apart from one another?”

“Yeah. Why,” I asked, confused.

“It’s just super odd that the three leaders of the Forest Pack were born so close to one another. Is it the same with your parents?”

I shook my head and answered, “No. Dani’s dad is ten years older than my mom and Lexa’s mom is three years younger than her.”

“So it’s only the three of you?”

“Yep. Then you throw in the fact that the three of us fell in love with one another, bonded with one another, and we took up our positions nearly at the same time. Spooky.”

“Creepy is more like it.”

I shrugged and said, “We never really thought about it. It was just one of those things. But, now I know that there was a reason why and that it involves Mother Earth.”

“I am so glad, that she’s not interfering with my life,” Raven said as she leaned back.

I grinned at her and said, “Who’s to say that she hasn’t. You just so happen to be close friends with Clarke, who happens to be bonded with all three of us and is the lifemate to one of us. You just happen to be one of the strongest techno mages that I’ve ever encountered. The same thing goes for every member of your council. Just because Mother Earth isn’t as involved in your lives, doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a hand in it. We’re all here for a reason.”

“That is some heavy shit, man,” Nate said, standing up. “I need to go find something to do. Octavia, you coming?”

“Oh, most definitely,” she said standing up and they both left the room, leaving Raven with us.

“You’re not running, Raven,” I said chuckling.

“I will, once I remember how my legs work,” she replied. “I just had to open my mouth and received too much information.”

“What, it’s not like I gave you intimate details of my sex life,” I replied, with a hint of mischief.

She stood up abruptly and said, “No, don’t you dare go there. I’m gone.”

I laughed as she beat a hasty retreat.

Clarke slapped me on the chest and said, “Stop it, Nyx. You know she’s sensitive about that.”

“I know, but it’s hard when it’s so easy,” I said as I kissed her.

“You’re horrible.”

“Maybe, but at least I’m fun.”

She chuckled and kissed me again, more deeply. We moved it up to her bedroom and didn’t come out until morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I’m going to admit this...this chapter is heavy on the foreshadowing. I planned it that way. 
> 
> This was also meant to be a more informative chapter as well. More information on lifemates and the hierarchy of a pack.
> 
> Things are about to get more serious soon.


	50. Nyx

I banged my head on the desk, silently cursing to myself. After breakfast, I’d gone to the office and started going over the paper work and it had been a nightmare. The duty rosters needed to be rotated, the food supplies were low, there was a long list of minor incidents that I needed to deal with, and the fucking solstice was tonight.

“God, I fucking hate paperwork,” I moaned out loud. “Whoever invented this shit, I will go back in time and rip their fucking throats out.”

“Wouldn’t that be messy,” a voice said from the doorway.

I looked up with narrowed eyes and she took an involuntary step back. I cleared my throat and sat back up.

“It is indeed, Cora,” I said with a smirk, “but, oh, so satisfying. Though of course it would’ve been invented anyway since people were learning to read and write.”

She nodded and said, “You wanted to see me?”

“I did,” I replied and stood up. “Can we sit down on the couch?”

She nodded and we walked over and sat down.

“Have you given any more thought about the proposal,” I asked as I poured her a glass of water and myself some whiskey.

She took a sip of her water and answered, “I have.”

“And how is that going,” I asked taking a sip from my glass.

She set the glass down and looked me in the eyes and said, “I know that you gave me two weeks to decide, but something’s telling me that I don’t have that much time.”

I nodded and took another sip, “I can understand that, wholeheartedly. Does this mean that you’ve made a decision?”

“It does, but I’m torn between deciding on two families. Your’s and _de Pakstoka’s_.”

“I see. Do you need some clarification?”

She sighed and said, “Yes. You said that if I’m adopted into either yours, the Devereuxs or the Rendons than most likely I would be next in line.”

“That’s correct. The three of us need a successor. If what happened hadn’t, then the Devereux line and mine wouldn’t be in any danger of not having one. One of Lexa’s sisters would have been next in line and Sephy would have been next in line.”

“Why isn’t Seph next in line to become the Second?”

“Because she’s already in line to become Second of the Southern Pack. That’s what she’s been trained for. If she took up my duties, she’d have unlearn a lot of things and learn what I do. Which would then lead to not having a Second for that pack. Just like the Head Pack leadership is hereditary, the Southern Pack is done the same way. Unfortunately, for Indra, since Gaia has been Called, she has to choose from among her extended family.”

“What types of things would I need to learn?”

“The most important would be learning to lead such a large pack. Since we have smaller packs plus the head pack, you have to learn to juggle those responsibilities. I know that I’m the Second, but I’ve had to also learn how to lead a pack if anything ever happens to de Pakstoka. Then there’s learning strategy and logistics, diplomacy, coordination, and all sorts of boring shit. You also need to learn our laws inside and out and know the punishments. You need to know when and where you can use your discretion. Things of that nature.”

“What’s the difference between Second and _de Pakstoka_?”

“The duties of the Second are to muck through the mundane shit. If there’s a dispute, it comes to me first. A request for transfer. Career change. The inevitable invitations to this and that. Setting up security. Maintaining security protocols. I oversee all infractions and make the decisions on how the judicial proceedings go. I go through all of the reports that are sent to the capital. I look through the census reports. Anything I can’t solve then and there, goes up to Lexa with my recommendations.”

“And _de Pakstoka_?”

“She takes on the harder cases. Sometimes, that means involving the Council. She oversees everything and makes sure that everything is running smoother than I can make it. She’s the one that makes new laws or amends the laws that are replaced. If something happens like what happened at the Western Border, then she’s the one that decides who replaces who and whether or not the border should remain open. She’s the one that brokers alliances and treaties. If the Coalition needs to be informed of something, the Second is usually the mouthpiece.”

“So, the Second has more duties, but _de Pakstoka_ has the harder ones?”

“In a nutshell, yes. My job is to try to make her job easier. It’s also my job to protect her at all costs. I’m her bodyguard. The last line of defense.”

“Since neither of you have a successor at the moment, what happens if something were to happen to either of you?”

“As of right now, if something were to happen to me, most likely my mother would become Second until she could train another family member or a first tiered family to take over. If something were to happen to Lexa, I would become _de Pakstoka_ and we’d have to find another first tiered family to become the Second.”

“Because the Allistars would then become the hereditary line of _de Pakstoka_.”

“Yes,” I said and finished my whiskey.

“That’s a lot of responsibility on your shoulders,” she said quietly.

“It is, but because I’ve been trained from birth and started to work alongside my mother when I turned 16, the transition was relatively painless when she retired. The same goes for Lexa. That would happen to you as well. We’d teach you alongside us as we worked. It’d be hands on training. It would also mean that for the time being, you would have to give up your position with the guard and your dream of being a Gate Commander. But it would also give you the opportunity to still protect the ones that are seeking asylum within our territory.”

“I could?”

“Yes and you’d carry more weight to make sure that it happens. I know my duties seem daunting, but quite honestly Lexa has the much harder job. She has to play nice with everyone regardless of the fact that she may want to tear their throats out. She can’t openly vent her frustrations or appear weak in any way. The only time she can be herself is behind closed doors or with me behind closed doors.”

“Wow, I don’t think I could ever pull that off,” she said with a small smile.

“Neither could I, but I wouldn’t have to worry about playing nice. I’m too powerful and they know it.”

“But that wouldn’t keep you from doing the right thing, would it?”

“No, it wouldn’t. I just wouldn’t have to put up with their petty bullshit and blustering.”

“How do you do it?”

I raised an eyebrow and asked, “How do I do what?”

“How do you handle all that responsibility and never complain?”

I chuckled, “The reason why I can handle it is because I’ve surrounded myself with people that can support me. Tell me when I’m being an idiot or kick my ass if I need it. But, I do complain. I whine. I question myself. I doubt myself. It’s just done when I have a moment to myself and have someone to hash it out with. Let’s take for example why I quarantined the humans and locked up a man that was formerly the Chancellor of their old council. Prior to the cause of the whole thing, the Manassas Apex were just learning that they were Apex and were shocked when they learned that they ultimately had control of the camp. Because they were the smaller group among the humans, they had to hide that they had powers and were werewolves. When I came here with the cure, Mother Earth guided my healing and super healed the old council members. Each one of them represented the three factions of the camp. Mage, Werewolf, and Human. The Human, Jaha, took an extreme disliking when Clarke informed him that his council was no longer in charge and that since he was a human, he didn’t really have a say in the matter. He threatened her and in doing so threatened the Apex. I took exception to this and had him arrested. Now, because of that incident and the one that resulted in the death of Jessamine Valdez, a prisoner, I made a decision to quarantine the humans and bring in our own guards. I questioned myself as to whether or not I had made too hasty of a decision. If I overreacted. I had a conversation with Lexa and was reminded that it was too risky not to have done that. Then Sephy came in and told me the same thing. Clarke’s council didn’t like it, but knew that I had overall authority.”

“So, sometimes you have to make decisions that you don’t necessarily like doing, but because it involved the safety of the Apex here, which would mean that the entire Forest Pack were also at risk. Just because of the shear number of humans.”

“Yes,” I said nodding. “My job isn’t always pleasant and sometimes I have to make rushed judgement calls, but it’s always about the safety of my people. They are first and foremost in my mind, always.”

“Then that’s what I want to do.”

“What exactly,” I asked curiously.

“I want to do what needs to be done to protect the pack.”

“Okay, both Second and _de Pakstoka_ do that.”

“Well, I also want to do what needs to be done so that de Pakstoka doesn’t need to either. I want to be adopted into your family. I want to learn what you do,” she said with conviction.

I was floored. I knew that this was what Mother Earth wanted, but I’d never heard of anyone willing to step into my shoes.

“Are you sure? Like a hundred percent sure, because once it’s done, you can’t back out.”

“I’m sure. I want to follow in your footsteps. I want to keep our people safe.”

“Alright, then,” I said standing up and calling for Seph.

I walked over to the desk and called to have Clarke and Octavia come to my office.

“Why are you calling them to come here,” she asked curiously.

“We need witnesses for the adoption. That is if you don’t mind doing it now?”

“No, I’d rather get it over with.”

I nodded, “The adoption is a matter of a blood oath. You’ll exchange blood with me and Seph. When we have a chance you’ll do the same with my mother. It binds your blood to ours and you become one of us. The witnesses are needed to sign the paperwork. Our family’s oath is in Irish, but we can do it in English if you’d prefer.”

“English, please,” she replied. “You speak Irish?”

“I do. It’s only really used when we’re around family. We’re pretty big on keeping our Irish traditions alive.”

“That’s pretty cool. I wish I knew what my family was like,” she said wistfully.

“I know and I wish we could have retrieved any information from that attack to give you something to remember them by,” I replied in sympathy. “Oh, and another thing you’ll be using your power as well. Just let it meld with your blood.”

“Alright,” she said, suddenly nervous.

I hugged her gently, “It’s okay to be nervous. This is a huge undertaking and changes your life, but don’t worry we’ll be here to help you along the way.”

I looked up and saw Seph enter with a small bowl with Clarke and Octavia following behind her. Seph found a small table and laid bowl on it and carried both to the middle of the room.

“I take it she’s decided to take up your offer,” Octavia asked.

“Yes,” I said simply. “She can still join your pack if she wants to once she’s finished her training with me.”

She sighed in relief and said, “I’m happy to hear you say that. I was worried that this would make her ineligible.”

I smiled and replied, “Nope, but she’ll be a first tiered pack member which places her at the same level as Kane.”

She nodded, “Got it. You know, you’re going to have to explain that to me more in depth.”

“No problem.”

“Let me take that off of you,” Sephy said and reached up and removed the inhibitor and I felt my powers slip comfortably in their spots.

“Wow, nothing this time,” Clarke said as she came up and kissed me.

“Yep. I’ll be able to remove it completely in a few more days,” I replied.

“So, how does this work,” she asked curiously.

“A simple exchange of blood and power and an oath. That’s it and then everyone signs the paperwork. We hold onto it until Mom has a chance to do it with Cora and then it’s sent to the capital to be filed and then sent along with the census report.”

Seph clapped her hands and with a grin said, “Well, let’s get to it, shall we?”

“Cora if you’ll stand on one side of the table and place your hand over the bowl. And remember to let your power drip with your blood,” I said smoothly as I withdrew one of my knives.

I came to stand opposite her and took her hand in mine. I sliced her palm deep enough to get a steady stream going and did the same with mine.

I looked up at Cora and clasped our hands together and let our blood and power mingle and then said, “Repeat after me. By our joined blood, we are become one.”

Without taking her eyes off of me, she repeated, “By our joined blood, we are become one.”

I held our hands together for a little bit longer as I felt our powers merge for just a tiny moment then let it go. I stepped back and Sephy did the same thing. When they were done, I stepped back up to the bowl and set the mingled blood on fire. There was a whoosh and the colors of our powers intermingled with one another before the fire went out. I placed my hands on their cut palms and healed them. Clarke came over and bound my hand. 

“That’s it,” Octavia asked.

“That’s it,” Sephy replied, “Welcome to the family, Cora Allistar.”

Cora blushed and ducked her head and then suddenly looked up. She stared transfixed at something that only she could see and then suddenly relaxed.

“Okay, what just happened,” Clarke asked worriedly as she guided Cora to a chair.

“Cora, care to explain,” I asked as I got the paperwork out of a drawer and wrote the information down and signed it.

“I think my power went up several notches, like a lot of notches,” Cora replied, awed by the experience.

“It did,” Sephy replied as she signed her assigned spot and then handed it to Octavia. “Since no Allistar is subpar in the power department, the adoption bond ramped it up to match our levels. Maybe not up to Nyx’s, but you’re as powerful as either me or my mom now.”

“That’s not quite true, Sephy,” I said as I leaned on the desk. “Her null power matches mine. Even though it’s a purely defensive power.”

“So, what happens now,” Cora asked, still reeling from the experience.

“Now, you get to enjoy the solstice. Your training begins first thing in the morning after breakfast. I want you to grab your gear and move into one of the empty rooms,” I said.

She grinned at me and jumped out of the chair and booked it out of the room and out of the house.

“Well, she seems pretty happy,” Clarke said with a smile as she came and wrapped an arm around my waist.

“I’d say that was more along the lines of ecstatic,” Octavia said chuckling. “If you don’t need me, I’m gonna go find me something to do.”

“More like someone,” Sephy said sniggering and Octavia glared at her.

“Enough Seph,” I said and turned to Octavia, “You’re golden. Tell Lincoln we say hi.”

She growled and blushed, but left the room with a bit of decorum. I turned to Clarke and kissed her thoroughly. She sighed against me in contentment.

I glanced at Sephy out of the corner of my eyes and saw that she was trying to get away, “Don’t even think about it, Seph. Sit your ass down over here. We’ve got paperwork to go over.”

She groaned loudly and pulled a chair next to mine and plopped down, pouting. I gave one last kiss and shoved Clarke towards the door.

“As much as I love having you here, Clarke,” I said with a smile. “I’ve got work I got to get down before tonight. So, I’ll see you at dinner.”

She pouted, but said, “That’s alright. I’ve got council paperwork to do. See you at dinner.”

She left and I sat down next to Sephy and began the laborious task of keeping the camp running.


	51. Nyx

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I was going to hold this off a few days, but I just couldn’t.

Several hours later, I was in Clarke’s room, looking up at the ceiling as I tried to catch my breath. Clarke was doing the same.

“I don’t think I can move,” Clarke spoke through gasps of air.

I chuckled breathily and replied, “I’ll take that as a compliment, love. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“Mm, I think I might have pulled a muscle or two.”

I rolled onto my side and kissed her gently, “I’m sorry. I forget that I can get a little over exuberant during this time of the year.”

“Just a little,” she laughed and traced over the length of my neck and shoulder, eliciting a slight shiver in response.

“I’m being modest, okay.”

She stretched slowly and I took that time to admire her beauty. She saw me watching and ran a finger lightly on her stomach making her skin break out in goosebumps. I growled low in my throat and captured her hands, pulling them above her head as I kissed her hungrily.

I eventually woke up and looked out of the window, noticing that it was nearing midnight. Clarke was asleep and since I was awake, I decided to take a shower. As I showered I took a moment and sent caresses down my bonds with my other loves and they sent one back. I sighed in contentment and turned my focus on relaxing my muscles under the pressure of the water.

I was lost in my thoughts when a sharp pain exploded through me making me double over and cry out in pain. I whimpered as the tears coursed down my face, mingling with the water. I searched my mind for the cause and found it. Lexa and Dani’s bonds were weakening. Something had happened. Something very, very bad. I called out to them but I couldn’t get an answer. I tried Indra, but I was met with the same silence. That’s when I started to shudder and new pain coursed through me. It was so bad, that I couldn’t cry out. I reached out blindly and turned the water off. I tried to climb out of the shower as the pain rippled through me and I felt my own power surge. I cried out when I realized what was happening. I was being forced to become _de Pakstoka_. I cried harder because I knew Lexa was dying.

There was an anguished cry from the bedroom and I knew Clarke had felt it, too. I crawled out of the bathroom on all fours until I could finally wrap my arms around her. She cried into my shoulder hard and I could barely reign in my own tears as my body continued to ripple and writhe as the power settled around me.

The door slammed open, slightly knocking it off it’s hinges.

“Rein it in, Nyx,” Seph yelled as she came closer.

I groaned in pain and replied, “I can’t! It’s Lexa. Something’s happened to her and I think she’s dying. The power’s passing to me. God, it hurts so damn much.”

I reached for Clarke’s hand and brought it up to the inhibitor and used her thumb to deactivate it. I dropped her hand and it immediately clung to my shoulder. I removed the disc and felt my powers settle and the pain lessening. I closed my eyes and sent waves of healing power down my bonds to keep Lexa and Dani alive and stabilize them until I could get there.

“Seph, get Cora, Lincoln, Damien, and Abby up here right now,” I commanded.

She nodded and flew out of the room to do as I told her.

I extricated myself from Clarke and made her look at me, “Clarke, honey. I’m keeping them alive right now, okay. They’ll be stable until I get there, but I have to leave for the capital immediately.”

“Don’t, don’t leave me,” she wailed.

“I don’t want to leave you, niron, but I have to. I need to. I’m _de Pakstoka_ now. I have to find out who did this and execute them as soon as I get the information out of them I need. I’ll make sure that they both live. I swear to you, Clarke. I swear to Mother Earth that I will do everything possible to bring her back to you alive.”

“You do,” she whispered.

“I do,” I said and kissed her. “I’ve got to get dressed, okay? I want you to put some clothes on too. You’re going to see a lot of guard movement and a lot of people scared, but I need you to be strong for me. Can you do that? Can you be strong for me and Lexa and Dani?”

She nodded mutely and I slowly got up. I went around the room and started pulling my clothes on as Clarke did the same. There was a pounding of footsteps and then they filed in and kneeled in front of me. Abby stood stunned at what they did and I motioned with my head to her to go to Clarke. She moved around us and went straight to her, where I heard the crying start up again.

“I believe that the mansion’s been attacked,” I told them. “Lexa, Dani, and Indra are hurt badly enough that I can’t get a response from them. I want all council members in the bunker and sealed up tight and warded. No one gets in or out. I want the Manassas pack and mages in this compound then seal it up with wards. I want this camp sealed up and make sure Raven gets the shield up and running. I want double guards on the bunker, compound, and walls. Understand?”

“Yes, _de Pakstoka_ ,” they said as one.

“Persephone you’re in charge of the council members. Cora, the compound. Lincoln, the camp. Damien, I need ten able bodied men in a transport and ready to go in 15.”

“We’ll make sure it’ll get it done,” Seph said as they stood up.

“Good. Once I ascertain the damage, I’m shutting down the mansion. All important personnel, information will be coming here. This is the new capital. Once I have the three VIPs stabilized and secure, they’ll be traveling with Ben in his truck along with an armed escort. I’ll let Persephone know when they’re on their way. I’ll be staying there until I get it all straightened out. In the morning, I want another wall built along the entirety of the city. Get as many mages as you can to build it and then ward it tighter than an oil drum.”

“Yes, _de Pakstoka_ ,” they replied and took off to do their jobs. 

I sighed and walked back over to Clarke and Abby.

“Abby, I need you to take Clarke into the bunker and sedate her. She’s going to be feeling everything through the bonds. She’ll lose her mind if she stays awake. Understand?”

“I understand. Find these people, Nyx,” Abby replied fiercely.

“I intend to,” I replied just as fiercely. “Get her out of here.”

She nodded and helped Clarke to stand up. When she was standing she lunged for me and kissed me greedily. I hugged her tight to me and then turned her over to Abby. I ran up to my room. I pulled off my clothes and searched for my tactical gear. I dressed quickly and all the weapons I had in my room, I strapped them on and then ran down to the garage. I suited up in my armor and packed all the weapons I could onto my bike. I revved the engine and tore out of the garage and raced to the main gate. The armored transport was waiting and the gate open. I gave the command and we were racing towards Clifton.

 

We arrived in two and half hours and I skidded to a stop in front of the fountain as I took in the damage. The upper floor was gone and one of the wings was completely blown apart. One of the guards ran up to me as the transport pulled over to the side.

“ _Stokripa_ , you don’t need to be here. We’ve got everything under control,” the guard said.

I let my power unfurl slightly and he staggered to his knees, “Like hell you do Lieutenant,” I turned to my guards and said, “Spread out. Look for any missed survivors and begin digging through the wreckage for the point of origin.”

They took off towards the mansion and I hauled the guard up to his feet and dragged him over to the side and said, “You better explain how this happened, Lieutenant, or you will be missing body parts.”

He stammered out, “There was an explosion a little over three hours ago. We have yet to determine the cause or the point of origin. We’ve been evacuating the survivors and built a triage in the back courtyard. That’s all we know at this time.”

“Round up all the council members, heads of security, and I want a headcount of everyone here and I want to know who’s missing or dead. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, _de Pakstoka_. We managed to pull Ms. Devereux, Ms. Rendon and _Pakstoka_ Indra out from the wreckage. They’re in the medical wing being treated. We’ve posted guards at every entrance and walking the perimeter.”

“Good, you’re not completely incompetent. Now go and get me those reports.”

“Yes, _de Pakstoka_ ,” he said and ran.

I walked over to the medical wing and made my way to the emergency triage. I walked in through the double doors and stopped. I growled threateningly as my rage built and I stalked to where I knew they were being worked on. I wanted to wail at what I saw, but I couldn’t. I left my rage simmering as I dismissed the healers to the side. I held my hands out and slowly lifted the shrapnel from their bodies and when the last of it was out, I tossed them aside and began working on repairing their broken and bleeding bodies. It was time consuming because I didn’t want to give their bodies any more reason to quit. When I was done, I looked at their vitals. They were stronger and more steady, but they weren’t quite out of the woods yet. I ordered them to finish my work and turned abruptly and walked back out into the carnage.

One of my guards ran up to me and bowed his head before he said, “de Pakstoka, we’ve found the point of origin and are removing the debris carefully so we don’t disturb any evidence.”

“Good, take me there.”

He took off running and I followed, easily keeping up the pace. We came upon the small group that was slowly removing the debris while trying to make sure the rest of the structure didn’t fall down on them. I immediately stabilized the structure and ordered them to stand back. I gently lifted the debris off of the area, keeping what was underneath from moving. When the last of the debris was gone, I entered the area and started scanning it. I found bits and pieces of metal and plastics and set them aside until I couldn’t find any more. One of the guards had moved the pieces to a table and waited for me. I nodded in thanks and slowly rebuilt it, piece by piece. It was a bit like a jigsaw puzzle, but eventually it was remade. It had indeed been a bomb and a concussive one at that. I let the pieces fall back apart and took one to sniff it. I let my wolf rise a bit and we inhaled deeply. I recognized the smell and growled. It was a mixture of ANFO, RDX, and EGDN. It was common in the Coalition armory. I inhaled again and picked up the two separate scents that did not belong to anyone I was familiar with. I shifted quickly and prowled around to find their scents, they were still fairly fresh, so they had recently been here before the explosion went off.

_Find them._

They immediately shifted and took in their scents and took off to find the two responsible of this. I shifted back and headed straight to Ben’s lab. The area of the building was intact and I knew that Ben had warded the room to withstand a nuclear bomb blast.

I pulled out my communicator as I made my way and said, “Ben, do you copy?”

Almost immediately Ben answered, “Oh, thank god, Nyx. Are you here? Is it safe to come out?”

“I’m here and it’s not quite safe yet,” I answered. “Let me in.”

The ward came down and I strode in and quickly locked the door and the ward. Ben ran to me and hugged me tightly. I hugged him back just as tightly and then pulled him away from me so that I could look at him.

“Are you okay, Ben,” I asked.

He nodded hard and said, “Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. I shit my pants when the explosion happened, but the wards held. I could hear screaming and shouting after my hearing cleared. Is, is everyone alright?”

“No,” I said. “Lexa, Dani, and Indra were severely injured in the blast. I’ve got them healed up as best I can right now, so their stable and we’ll be able to move them soon to Manassas. Please tell me you copied the packs’ servers.”

“I did. As soon as I started working on the shield problem with Raven and Monty. Something told me to do that and I’ve been backing them up daily.”

“Good man,” I said smiling at him. “I want you to pack everything necessary and have it ready to move out at a moment’s notice, okay. By the way, did you happen to build any inhibitors?”

He grinned at me and pulled out a small box of the discs, “There’s over sixty in there. I know that’s a bit overkill, but you know.”

“That’s fine, Ben. You did good building this many. I might just have to use them all.”

He pulled out a large bag and dumped them in and handed it to me, “They’re already geared to your biometric thumbprint. So, all you have to do is slap them on and press the head.”

“Ah, Ben you’ve outdone yourself,” I said and gave him a hug. “Look I’ve got to go now and get these bastards. I want you to stay here and keep the ward locked until I tell you to. Do not let anybody in. No one.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m not leaving.”

“Good, I’ll radio you when it’s safe to come out.”

I walked out of his lab and waited until I felt the ward lock behind me and then made a beeline for the office. It looked like a tornado had torn through here. I growled at the mess and hoped that whoever had been in here hadn’t found anything important. Once more, I used my telekinesis and gathered every piece of paper, picture that could be found. I pulled out hundreds of folders from the desk and placed them into the duffel, grateful that Ben had the forethought to give me a large one. When I’d gathered everything I could find, I walked around the room and went to every hidden spot that I’d ever been shown. They hadn’t been touched and I removed everything from those spots. I walked over to the bookshelf and pulled a book down to open up a secret room. This is where all the highly classified information was kept. I gathered everything up and pulled the hard drives. Satisfied, I went back to Ben’s lab and dropped everything off, but kept the inhibitors. I walked out back and began inspecting the triage and that’s where a couple of my guards found me.

“ _de Pakstoka_ ,” one of them said, “We’ve found the men. They were three miles east of here on foot. We’ve brought them to the holding cells and have warded the cells.”

I nodded, “Take me to them.”

They escorted me to where they were holding the perpetrators and I growled when I recognized the man who had been pointed out to us by Clarke. I said nothing as I slammed his head against the table and placed a disc on him and activated it. I left his cell and went to the next one. I felt my rage build as I saw that it was Councilor Drovich. Instead of slamming his head down, I grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the wall and placed a disc on him.

“I should have known that you’d be involved with this, Drovich,” I snarled, my face mere inches from his own.

“You should be destroyed, Nyx Allistar. With your powers you could destroy the world,” he snapped at me.

I slammed him against the wall again and replied, “You attacked the wrong women, Drovich. Now, I’m _de Pakstoka_ and you are dead.”

I dropped him and he collapsed, holding his neck. The ward locked behind me.

I turned to the men who had followed me, “Strip them completely. I don’t want to give them any chance at killing themselves until I have all of the information out of their heads.”

“Yes, _de Pakstoka_ ,” the said and they each entered a cell.

I walked out of the cell and was greeted by the Lieutenant that I had spoken to earlier.

“The reports you asked for, _de Pakstoka_ ,” he said bowing his head. 

I scanned the reports and noticed that a quarter of the guards were missing.

I glared up at him and said with deadly steel in my voice, “Where are the guards that are missing from you roster, _Lieutenant_? And you better not lie to me.”

“Their whereabouts are unknown at this time, _de Pakstoka_ ,” he replied trembling.

I growled loudly and demanded, “I want all of your men in this courtyard in five minutes, Lieutenant. I don’t care if they’re helping. They are to drop what they are doing and get here. Now!”

He nodded and I heard the call go out. I heard mad scrabbling as I waited and I picked up an ammonia smell, the damn Lieutenant had fucking pissed himself. I scanned his mind and discovered that he had been involved as well. I took a disc out and placed it on him. He yelled out in surprise.

“Run, you die,” I said, my voice deadly and he nodded weakly.

I placed shackles on him and then turned to the men assembled in front of me. 

“Attention,” I commanded and they immediately fell in. “You run, you die.”

“Yes, _de Pakstoka_ ,” they yelled out in unison. 

I scanned their minds and found about ten more traitors. I pulled them immediately to me and held them in place as I put inhibitors and shackles on them.

I turned my attention to the ones still standing in formation and said, “These men were all involved in tonight’s attack. I have placed inhibitors on them so that they can no longer use their powers. Five of you will escort them to the holding cells, strip them of their clothing, leaving them naked. You are to remain guarding their cells until it is time to deal with them. The rest of you, I am missing nearly twenty guards from the roster. Find them, arrest them, strip them and place them in the holding cells. Now, who’s ranking?”

One of them stepped forward and replied, “I am, _de Pakstoka_.”

I walked over to him and handed him the list, he nodded and then took over the men. I turned to one of mine and he directed me to where the council members were being kept under ward. I entered the room and they all started clamoring at once.

“SILENCE,” I yelled and they quieted immediately

“Now see here, Nyx Allistar,” one of them stood up and said, “We demand to know why we have been placed under guard and ward.”

“Sit down, Councilor,” I replied coldly. “You will not speak to me in this manner. Until further notice, I am _de Pakstoka_. You are here because the mansion has been compromised. This is for your own safety.”

“Lexa,” Councilor Gardner whispered horrified.

“She’s stable as are Dani Rendon and Pakstoka Indra. That is all the information I can give you at this time.”

“The people responsible for this,” Councilor Stevens asked.

“Caught.”

There was a nods of approval, but something caught my attention and I turned to look at Councilor Collins. I quickly scanned his mind and motioned one of the guards that had entered with me to place him under arrest. I placed an inhibitor and he was escorted out of the room.

“My apologies, Councilors,” I replied without a hint of emotion. “I seemed to have missed one.”

They sat in stunned silence as they looked at one another and I said, “Now that that matter is cleared up. I can speak to you about what is going to happen. Once everything has settled for the moment and it is safe to begin transporting the wounded, you will be escorted to Manassas. As of right now, Clifton is compromised, placing each of you at risk. There will be quarters waiting for you which will be warded and guards roaming the perimeters. For the time being, Manassas will be our new capital until another city is found and fortified. You will not be leaving this room until it is time to go. Your belongings will stay here until we have a chance to clear the house of personal items. If you have medication that you absolutely need, one of the guards will gather that up and bring them to you. Understood?”

They all answered in the positive and I said, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, Councilors, I have work that must be done.”

With those final words, I left and began helping with the rescue operations. When we had found all of the survivors of the blast and the dead, did I finally stop and grab a quick bite and drink. I walked over to the holding cells and grabbing a camera to record their confessions, I headed to the interrogation room. A guard went and grabbed Kilpatrick and then sat him at the table roughly and shackled him to it.

I forced my mind into his and said, “You will tell me exactly who sent you here, what your job was and all the information you have learned since being appointed Councilor. Do I make myself clear?’

“Yes, _de Pakstoka_ ,” he replied dully.

“Then let’s begin,” I said as I sat down opposite him. I turned on the camera and asked, “Who do you work for?”

“The Coalition.”

“How long have you been in their employ?”

“I was recruited by them when I was 22.”

“How old are you now?”

“36.”

“14 years, is that correct?”

“It is.”

“What was the intent of placing you here in Forest Pack territory?”

“To keep a record of all activity in Northeast Border and Pack.”

“Where’s this information stored?”

“In my home underneath the floorboards of my bedroom.”

“Is that the only place?”

“No. I have also information hidden in my room here at the mansion.”

“Was your room destroyed in the blast?”

“It was.”

“Is the information still intact?”

“No, I burned it before the bomb was set.”

“How did you recruit Council Drovich?”

“I didn’t. He approached me.”

“What did he tell you?”

“That you were a threat that needed to be eliminated at all costs.”

“Did he explain why?”

“Yes.”

“What did he tell you?”

“That you command five powers that peg out.”

“Has this information already been sent to the Coalition?”

“It has not.”

“How did you become Councilor?”

“I bribed the heads of the Northeastern Pack into voting me into office.”

“Which heads?”

“Pack leader, Second, Gate Commander, and Sheriff.”

“Monetary?”

“Yes.”

“What was the intention of the blast?”

“To remove _de Pakstoka_ and you from power, leaving a power vacuum.”

“I see. Is there anything else you wish to tell me?”

“Only that there is a tunnel that leads from my house, which is at the border of the town, it leads underneath the border and comes out to a cabin two miles east of the border.”

“What will I find there?”

“My written reports of my findings. Hard drive containing those reports. My contact at the Coalition along with all emails exchanged.”

“Is it warded for protection?”

“It is.”

“What happens if the ward is broken?”

“The cabin will be burned to the ground, the servers will be wiped and electrocuted to remove any evidence.”

“Which hand do you use to unlock the ward?”

“My left.”

“Thank you for speaking true, Kilpatrick. You have been found guilty of committing treason of the highest order. You are guilty in the attempted assassination of Lexa Devereux, Daniela Rendon, and _Pakstoka_ Indra. You are guilty of mass murder. You will be executed at dawn. If you have any family, they will summarily share your fate.”

I let go of his mind and he crumbled as he began to sob at my judgement. I stopped the video recording and the guard escorted him back to his cell. I got up and waited for Drovich to be escorted to me.

Once more, I grabbed hold of his mind and forced him to tell me the truth.

“You will tell me exactly who sent you here, what your job was and all the information you have learned since being appointed Councilor. Do I make myself clear,” I informed him, my voice deadly this time.

“I understand, _de Pakstoka_ ,” he replied, his voice just as dull as Kilpatrick’s was.

“Who do you work for?”

“No one.”

“You did this of your own free will?”

“I did.”

“What was your intent?”

“To kill you.”

“Why?”

“You are too dangerous to be kept alive. You pose a threat to the safety of the Forest Pack.”

“Why am I too dangerous?”

“You possess five powers that peg out. You are the most powerful were in the pack. You are the strongest in the pack. Once I saw the display of your true power, were my suspicions confirmed.”

“When did you begin watching me?”

“When I witnessed your display of five powers when you were a child of 10.”

“Were you keeping tabs on me the entire time?”

“Yes.”

“How many guards are in your employ?”

“Thirty.”

“Where would they go if they were compromised?”

“To a safe house ten miles west of here.”

I informed the ones that were on the search of where they would be headed.

“Did you have a hand in allowing the Ice Pack spy to enter the territory?”

“Yes.”

“Why the Western Border?”

“The Councilor and Gate Guard had already been bribed by the Ice Pack to allow entrance for their information gatherers.”

“Spies, you mean?”

“That is correct.”

“Did you help the spy escape?”

“I did.”

“Was your intent to assassinate Lexa Devereux, Daniela Rendon, and _Pakstoka_ Indra?”

“Not assassinate, but to draw you here in order to kill you.”

“Did you know that Kilpatrick was here to assassinate Lexa Devereux and myself?”

“I did not.”

“Do have anything to say in your defense?”

“Only that I did this to remove a viable threat to the pack.” 

“Very well. I find you guilty of treason of the highest order. You are found guilty of the assassination attempt of Lexa Devereux, Daniela Rendon, and _Pakstoka_ Indra. You are found guilty of committing mass murder. You are found guilty of bribing Northern Pack leaders and mansion guards. You will be executed in the morning.”

I let his mind go and he tried to fight his restraints and come after me. I sat coolly as the guards tranqed him and removed him back to his cell. I removed the flash drive of the camera and stored it in one of my chest pockets.

I went back to the medical wing and checked on them. They were just about stabilized and ready to be transported.

“How much longer,” I asked the head healer.

“Give us an hour and they will be ready to go,” she answered.

“Good,” I said and nodded. “Inform one of my guards when they’re ready.”

“Yes, _de Pakstoka_.”

I next went to the triage and inquired on the status of the wounded. They were already stabilized and were awaiting transport. There were 20 wounded. There were 10 dead from the blast. I had them record their names and ordered them to remove all personal effects so that they could be given to their family members. I kneeled briefly by the dead and prayed for their safe journey to Mother Earth and prayed that she would protect and comfort them.

I sighed and got up and wobbled a bit from exhaustion. One of the healers came over and took me to a separate space where she hooked me up to an IV and forced me to eat some bars of fruit, nuts, and honey. I nodded my thanks and sat there overlooking the death and destruction. It saddened and angered me at the same time. As soon as I could, the Forest Pack would be sealed off from both the Ice Pack and Coalition. I took out my communicator and called every Gate Commander to lock down the border until further notice. I informed the Eastern Gate Commander that there may be a purple buggy heading to them with a possible escort. If it approached, they were to hold them at the border and I was to be informed immediately.

I informed my guard that I wanted enough transports to take the 20 wounded, medical staff and healers, the councilors and the majority of the remaining guards. I waited for their confirmation and then I removed my IV. I went to the garage and drove our truck closer to the medical wing, then went and retrieved Ben and his equipment. I personally escorted him to the truck and helped him stash his equipment and still give space to drop the bunks and move around. Ben, laid out the passenger seat and made it into a bed. I told him to stay in the truck, while I got them to move everyone onto the truck and strapped in. I watched in despair as they were loaded up and wanted to cry seeing them unmoving. I knew they were still alive, because I could still feel the bonds and I was still using my healing powers on them.

Everyone else was soon loaded up and I moved to the end of the drive. Laying my hands on the ground, I created a straight path between here and Manassas. Moving trees out of the way and clearing and rubble. When the dirt path was smooth, I overlaid it with a solid piece of nearly polished granite. I was making sure that there would be enough friction so that the trucks wouldn’t lose control. I stood back up and went to the lead escort.

He bowed his head in respect and I said, “I’ve made a straight path to Manassas. You should reach it in half the time. I’ll radio them once you begin to move out. Take the wounded, Ben and the medical staff and healers straight to the bunker and help them transfer them to the medical wing. Persephone will tell you where the Councilors will go. Once that’s done find the Barracks Commander and he will tell you where to place the men. I am ordering you to make sure they eat and rest for a full 12 hours. I want a roster of the guards sent to Lincoln and I will add them to the guard detail. Am I clear?”

“Yes, _de Pakstoka_. When shall we prepare for your arrival?”

“Two days,” I replied. “Head out whenever you are ready.”

I stood back as the convoy slowly started moving out. When the last truck was out of sight, I pulled out my communicator.

“Persephone,” I spoke into the communicator.

“I’m here,” she replied. “Are they on there way?”

“They are. I’ve built a road and they should get there in about half the time. Lexa, Dani and Indra are stabilized and their bodies are on the mend. I’m keeping them that way until I know that they’re in Abby and Jackson’s hands. There are 20 wounded with them. I’ve also sent the majority of the guards here with them as escort. Make the Barracks Commander aware of it so that he can have barracks prepared for them.”

“Did you catch whoever did this?”

“I did. I’ll inform you all when I get home. Manassas is going to be the temporary headquarters until I can find a suitable city.”

“Ben?”

“He’s fine,” I replied with a smile. “The ward held and he stayed there until I gave him the all clear. He only shit his pants.”

“Thank god,” she whispered to herself.

“I heard that, Sis.”

“Shit.” 

“Don’t worry about it. The executions will happen first thing. Then we’ll bury the dead. Final sweep to make sure I didn’t miss anything and then I’ll be on my way. I should be there in two days.”

“How many dead?”

“10,” I replied bitterly.

“What are you going to do with the residents?”

“I’ll have them start packing up and instruct them to move to Manassas. How’s the construction of the second wall?”

“Slow, the earth and metal mages we have are working until they are nearly completely depleted. They can’t start again until late today.”

“Alright. What they don’t finish, I will. How many structurally sound homes do we have?”

“Twenty in the first wall and I haven’t received word yet on the homes outside the wall.”

“Okay. Listen, I need to get some rest before I execute these bastards. Leave a message once they’ve arrived and are set up.”

“Okay. Stay safe, Sis.”

“I will. Love you and let Clarke know that, too.”

“I will. Love you back. Now go get some rest.”

“Aye, Aye, Second.”

We ended the call and I took my bike into the garage and warded it. I shifted and curled up to sleep, my guards outside protecting me. I fell immediately asleep and didn’t wake up until my alarm sounded. I immediately checked the communicator and let out a sigh of relief when I saw her message. I finally let go of my healing of the three and left the garage. As soon as I appeared, one of them handed me meat and coffee. I sat down on the fountain and ate the meat raw and drained my coffee. I got a refill and sipped it as I made my way over to the jail. The traitors were taken outside and lined up against the outer wall. I held them in place as I removed the inhibitors, because I was not about to waste them. Keeping them in place, I sliced both of Kilpatrick’s hands off for the wards and handed them to a nearby guard. Then I stepped back and without a word, they were shot. I watched dispassionately as they burned. When they were nothing but ash, I had the 26 traitorous guards brought out. I split them in half and sent one half with the guards to bury the dead. I once again held them in place as I removed the discs and they were summarily executed in the same manner. I swept the mansion one more time and had the guards remove the personal effects of the untouched rooms and had them loaded up.

Next, the guards took me the center of the city and I called a general assembly. I informed them of what had happened and told them that they needed to pack up their belongings and make their way to Manassas as soon as possible. They didn’t hesitate nor question my orders, but immediately got to work. I went straight to the nicest hotel and took over the penthouse. I had food and drinks sent up for me and my men. After I ate, I went into the bedroom, stripped off my clothes and took a long shower until all the dirt, grime, and blood went down the drain. I wrapped my self in a robe and took my clothes to someone to have dried cleaned. I was assured that they would be ready by morning. They also gave me some clothing to wear in the meantime. The clothes were comfortable enough to sleep in and I crawled into bed where I immediately felt the emptiness of not having someone sleeping beside me. I slept twelve hours straight and when I came out of my room, a hot breakfast was ready for me. I dug in hungrily and they left me alone until I was done.

“ _De Pakstoka_ , an hour before you woke, the Eastern Gate Commander informed me that the purple buggy you asked him to look out for has arrived at the gate and woman has been yelling at him to let her through,” one of them informed me.

I laughed and then thought, _Scarlett, is that you cussing out my Gate Commander?_

_It sure as hell ain’t Santa Claus. Can you tell this damn fool to let me in?_

I nodded and the guard who’d informed me called the Gate Commander to allow her entrance.

_Done. Just head straight to Manassas. Lexa and Dani are on the mend, but they aren’t conscious yet. Clarke is probably beside herself and in their room. All wounded are in the bunker’s medical wing. I’ll be heading back in a bit._

_Tell me you got the bastards who did this._

_I did. They were executed yesterday as soon as I woke up._

_Good girl. I take it that you’re de Pakstoka now._

_Yes. It sucks._

_I’m sure it does, sugar_ , she chuckled.

_I’ve got to get ready if I want to get on the road soon._

_Alright, I’ll see you soon._

_Bet on it._

I changed my clothes and tucked away the ones that were given to me and we headed back to the mansion. I surveyed the damage and I wanted to cry. Generations of Devereuxs and Allistars had lived and worked there and it broke my heart seeing all of that gone. On impulse, I went into the house and carefully made my way to the spot that would have been directly underneath Lexa’s room. I sifted through the rubble and my heart lodged in my throat when I came across what used to be the statue I had made for her when we got engaged. I clutched it to my chest and with a heavier heart, I left the mansion for probably the last time. I pulled my bike out of the garage and tucked the statue into a weapons case and started it up. I took one last look, and then we were headed to Manassas.


	52. Nyx

We arrived shortly before dinner and I pulled off to the side of the inner gate and allowed the transport and escort by as I waited for Seph and Cora to descend the tower. As soon as she neared, I pulled her to me and hugged her roughly. She hugged me back just as fiercely and we just stood there for a moment, thankful that we were both still alive. I let her go and hugged Cora just as tightly. She gave out a squeak of surprise and then she was hugging me back. I let her go reluctantly.

“I’m glad you’re back safe and sound, Sis,” Seph said, the weight of everything still laying heavy on her shoulders.

“I am, too,” I replied. “The fools didn’t even try to hide their trail. I think they figured that no one would be able to pick up their scent or find the bomb fragments.”

“They didn’t count on you though, did they?”

I smirked and replied, “They sure as hell didn’t. I think they expected me to be there instead of Dani.”

“So, the attempt was to take you and Lexa out,” Cora asked.

I looked over at her and nodded, “Yes, but I’ll explain it at the Council meeting. Seph, for all intents and purposes you are now my Second. I know that this is not something that is in your wheelhouse, but you’re the only one trained here. Cora, you are to stick to her like a burr. Neither one of you goes out without the other, understood.”

She nodded fearfully.

“So, what’s the plan,” Seph asked.

“Right now, I plan on seeing my women. I need you to check and see how our technos are doing with the shield. Once, that’s completed, I’m putting the ward and shield in place immediately. Then food and rest. I’m tired as fuck and I need it. Everything else can wait until morning.”

“Good,” she replied, “I’ve set up a large house for the Council. They’re tucked in nice and safe.”

“Good. Do I have a roster of all the guards that are now residing in the camp?”

“Yeah, it’s in your office, ready for you. I’ve already started on it, but I want you to double check it for me. I’ve got three chefs working for the guards. One for the Council and I’ve brought in a second for the compound. I’ve got double guards patrolling the bunker, compound, and Council house. Triple on the wall.”

I smiled, “Glad I left this place in capable hands. You’re doing well.”

She blushed and replied, “Now go. See your women. Everything will wait until morning.” 

I hugged them both and got back on my bike and headed straight for the bunker. I was admitted with no hinderance, which I frowned at. I’d have to speak with the C.O.s about that. I followed my bonds and soon I was in front of the door to their hospital room. I took a deep shuddering breath and walked in.

Clarke and Scarlett looked up at the sound of the door opening. When they saw me, they leapt up and went straight for me and enveloped me in their arms. Their hands were all over me, making sure that I was unharmed. Kissing me like I’d been gone forever. When they finally settled down, I went to Lexa and Dani. I laid my hands gently on their own and nearly collapsed in relief when I saw that their bodies were nearly completely mended. I felt tears falling down my face and found a chair to collapse in.

“You kept them alive, Nyx,” Clarke said softly as she pulled a chair right next me and Scarlett did the same.

“I promised you that I would,” I replied, my voice thick with emotion. “I healed them enough that the other healers could finish the job without draining themselves. I kept up the healing until Seph let me know that they had arrived safely.”

“How are you feeling,” Scarlett asked as she laid a hand on my arm.

“Exhausted. Mentally and physically. That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Between healing them, informing the council, rooting out the traitors, search and rescue, interrogation, and making sure that all classified information had been found. I didn’t stop until everyone had been found and either in the triage or locked up. It was brutal. Then the next day arrived. Executing the traitors, burying the dead, and letting the residents know they had to pack up to leave. Only then did I get the chance to properly eat and rest.”

“And you built the road between the two cities,” Clarke said completely awed. “Scared everyone on the wall when it suddenly appeared.”

I snorted, “I expected as much. I also kept the mansion intact and moved the debris so that we could get to the people underneath. All without breaking a sweat, but I think my body is feeling the strain now that I’m not amped up on adrenaline.”

“It probably is, sweetheart,” Scarlett said as she brushed her fingers in my hair making me close my eyes at the feeling.

I sighed, “I won’t really get a chance to slow down until we’re completely shielded. I’ll have council meetings to keep them informed and yours informed as well, Clarke. Then there’s finishing up the second wall. Reinforcing the structurally sound homes. Fixing the ones that need work. Raiding Clifton’s stores of all the food and bringing it here…”

“Hush,” Clarke said as she laid a finger on my lips to keep me from talking. “It’ll be done, but you can’t do this all by yourself. We have people that can do a lot of that stuff. It can all wait.”

I bowed my head and said quietly, “I know, but we’re at the brink of war and I’m the one running the show.”

“Sugar, don’t put this all on yourself,” Scarlett said. “You have people that want to keep your territory as safe as much as you do. They’re going to bust their balls to get it done. Your people are resilient and will come out stronger from this.”

I sighed and sagged in the chair and gave her a smile, “You’re going to have to keep telling me that, Scar.”

She leaned down and kissed, “We both will. We’ll take care of you.”

I held her head down and kissed her more thoroughly and then repeated with Clarke. I could feel the tension leaving and I was beginning to have trouble staying awake.

“Is there a third bed in here,” I asked.

Scar smiled and replied, “There is. Just on the other side of the curtain over there. Just go and lay down, get some sleep. We’ll be here and will wake you if they need you.”

I nodded and got out of the chair. Walking to the other side of the curtain, I carefully took of my boots, jacket, and pants and then crawled under the covers and I was gone.

 

I woke up to the sounds of voices murmuring on the other side of the curtain. I laid still as I listened to them speak.

“They should wake up in a couple of days,” Abby said. “But they’re still going to be hospital bound for awhile yet.”

“But they’re going to be okay,” Clarke asked.

“Yes. They’ll have to go through extensive physical therapy to rebuild their strength. The healer that worked on them before Nyx arrived told me that they were in really bad shape. We have her to thank for getting them this far. It’s now up to them to finish.”

“Did you have a chance to look over Nyx?”

“She’s fine. Dehydrated, exhausted. The type of signs you see from people that have done days of search, rescue and recovery. She just needs rest, food, and fluids.”

“I can keep her fed and hydrated, but rest is going to be hard for her to find. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done quickly. We’ll help her as much as we can, but she’s going to try and do everything herself.” 

“Tranq her if you need to. We can’t afford to lose her due to exhaustion.”

“She won’t like that.”

“No, she won’t, but it’s better than the alternative. I don’t want to see her in this hospital again for a long time.”

“Scarlett and I will make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“I know you girls will. Go, spend some time with Nyx, Clarke. I’ve got other patients to check on, but I’ll be around if you need me.”

“Thanks, Mom. For everything.”

“Your welcome.”

I heard the door open and close and then Clarke walking over to me. I sat up and smiled when I saw her.

She came over and gave me a hug and I pulled her up on the bed and held her.

“How long have you been awake,” she asked.

I chuckled, “Long enough to know that you’ll tranq me if I need it.”

“We will if you don’t listen to us when we tell you to stop.”

“I know,” I replied as I moved her hair aside and kissed her neck.

She leaned into me and tilted her head to give me better access. She moaned in pleasure when I nipped that sweet spot behind her ear. I moved my lips down the side of her neck and nipped the claiming spot.

“Don’t you dare, Nyx Allistar,” she said. “That’s reserved.”

I chuckled and licked where I had nipped, “I know, _niron_. It was just a nip.”

“Smart,” she said and then moaned when my hand cupped her breast and my thumb brushed her nipple.

I froze when I heard an unfamiliar sound. I motioned for Clarke to stay silent as I eased quietly out of bed. I pulled a knife slowly out of my jacket and walked around the curtain. I checked on Lexa and Dani to make sure that it wasn’t coming from them and then made my way to the door. I listened and heard the sound growing louder and coming closer. I closed my eyes to better concentrate and I could hear the sound of boots marching quietly down the hallway, the sounds of weapons swinging at their movement. I backed away and headed back to Clarke and started dressing.

“Clarke, there are guards stationed outside the door,” I asked her quietly.

“Yes, four of them. Why,” she asked fearfully.

“There’s a small detachment of guards making their way here, and I don’t know why,” I replied.

We looked at the door as the sound was finally recognizable to Clarke. She got out of the bed and crouched down in the corner to hide herself from whatever was about to enter the door. We both jumped when there was an abrupt knock on the door. I walked over to it as my hand gripped my knife tighter and opened it slightly to see the guard that knocked.

“My apologies, _de Pakstoka_ ,” she said apologetically, “you personal guard has arrived.”

I opened the door and scanned the small group that was standing in formation, “My what?!”

Lincoln stepped forward and replied, “Your personal guard, _de Pakstoka_.”

I sighed angrily and sheathed my knife and said, “Who ordered this?”

“I did, _de Pakstoka_ ,” he replied.

“And you feel it’s necessary that I need to be protected by six guards,” I asked icily.

“The pack is under threat, _de Pakstoka_ ,” he replied calmly. “You need the protection.”

“I understand that we are under threat, Lincoln. There is no need for a six man detail. I only need two.”

“Maybe you do not grasp the severity of this situation, _de Pakstoka_.”

I stood up straighter and approached him and very calmly replied, “I understand very well the severity of this, Lincoln. I will not be leaving the grounds anytime soon. The guards that have since arrived have been personally vetted by me. I am assuming that you have vetted the guards that have been stationed here. Am I correct in assuming so?”

“You are.”

“So, explain to me why you feel it necessary to take six men from their posts to follow me around when all guards have been vetted and the shield is up.”

“ _de Pakstoka_ , there are too many new arrivals to guarantee your safety,” he explained.

“I see and have you also placed extra guards on my Second and Cora Allistar?”

“No, I have not.”

“Were you intending to place additional guards on them?”

“No, I was not.”

“So, just me then.”

“Yes, _de Pakstoka_.”

“So, the life of my Second and Second-in-training are expendable?”

“No, they are not, _de Pakstoka_.”

I sighed, already frustrated at the prospect of how my day would turn out, I said, “Since you insist on six guards, Lincoln. Set up a rotation with these six and two of them will remain with me at all times. Understood.”

He bowed his head and replied, “Understood.”

“Perfect. Get to it and next time, Lincoln, discuss these things with me before implementing one of your ideas. I am not impressed by this display of thinking you know better than me,” I said and abruptly turned around and closed the door.

I rolled my neck and shoulders as I eased the annoyance that was Lincoln Forrester. Clarke came up and hugged me and I relaxed into her arms.

“So, Lincoln being Lincoln,” she asked.

I growled in irritation and replied, “Yeah. Just because I made him Head of Security for the camp, he thinks that I fall under his jurisdiction. That is Seph’s job. She’s my personal Head of Security, like I am for Lexa.”

“Mm,” she said. “Lexa and Dani seem to be doing fine, Nyx. It’s safe enough for us to leave.”

I stepped out of her arms and walked over to them. I gently caressed Lexa’s face and smiled when I saw her lips twitch in response, but I sat down on Dani’s bed and took her hand in mine. I gently removed the strands of hair from her face and ignored the fact that her face was mottled with bruises. I smiled fondly as I looked down at her and marveled how beautiful she is.

“You really love her, don’t you,” Clarke said from Lexa’s bedside.

“I do. I think I’ve loved her from the very beginning. Lexa, too. I was drawn to them likes moths to a flame. I always thought Lexa burned brighter, but I may have been wrong.”

“You wanted to claim her.”

I nodded and my throat tightened with tears, “I did. I think I still do.”

“Does she know?”

“No,” I replied wiping away a tear. “When it comes to that kind of commitment or being someone’s girlfriend, she’s always shied away from it. So, I never pushed her. I just showed her that I loved her in a way that she would understand. She jokes and flirts the way she does but there’s an underlying reason for it. She’s afraid of rejection. To put her heart out on display like that. She’s always been that way. I don’t know why.”

“She’s afraid of being hurt.”

“She is. I can understand why. When we pour our souls out and give it to another, we open ourselves up to all the vulnerabilities that we’re afraid of. If that person that carries your soul ever hurts you or leaves you, it’s devastating. Earth shattering and then you close yourself off so that you’ll never hurt like that again. Then you begin to think that you don’t deserve to be loved. That it’s a myth. It’s easy to believe that when there is so much hate in the world. You wonder how love could ever exist in such a place. As time passes, your heart hardens and you view the world not as it really is, but as you picture it as it should be because you are devoid of love. Then sometimes, it just takes one spark and it slowly breaks your thoughts and views, softens you, allows you to feel again, to hope. And you begin to think that maybe you were wrong. That love exists and the world changes around you as you take notice of the good and the love. Eventually, you see the world as it is. A beautiful chaotic world, where light will always battle darkness and that love can become yours again.”

“What changed your way of thinking,” she asked quietly, almost afraid of the answer.

I looked up at her and genuinely smiled and replied, “You did, Clarke. You showed me that I can love again. That the world isn’t so cold and ruthless. You helped me find my way again.”

“I did?”

“You did. You brought me to my greatest loves and I will forever be in your debt and I will always be yours beyond my last breath.”

She walked around the bed and pulled me up. She gently cupped my head and her eyes searched mine. She gave me a faltering smile and then kissed me as if it was our first kiss. I laid my hands on her waist and poured my soul out to her and I knew that I would do the same for all of my loves. My soul was theirs as theirs were mine. 

She ended the kiss and laid her head on my chest and I leaned down and kissed her head. We stood that way frozen in that moment in time and I didn’t care if the world was crumbling around us. I just cared that Scarlett wasn’t here with us, joining us in this moment.

I sighed when I heard my stomach grumbled and said, “Clarke, I hate for this moment to end, but I’m starving.”

She chuckled and replied, “Then let’s not keep _de Pakstoka_ from her food. I hear she can turn ugly when she doesn’t eat.”

“There is evidence to support that,” I said and smiled down at her.

She laughed and we left the room after we gave them one last kiss. I grumbled when my guards fell into step behind us, but Clarke distracted me enough that I was able to ignore my new shadows. I received the same treatment that Lexa had encountered on her visit here and I was already tired of it. We reached the compound and I laid my hand on the ward unlocking it. We walked through it and Clarke locked it back up. I left my guards standing outside my office and headed to the kitchen. We were greeted by the aromas of cooked food and hot drinks. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply and let out a satisfied sigh.

I walked over to the kitchen counter and piled two plates high and set them on the table. Clarke poured me some coffee and then herself some.

She laughed and said, “I’m not that hungry, love.”

I swallowed a bit of sausage and replied, “Did you want a plate?”

“You mean that both plates are for you,” she asked teasingly.

I blushed and replied, “Um, yeah. I could make you a plate real fast.”

She put a hand on my arm, stopping me from getting up, “It’s fine, sweetheart. I’ll make my own plate.”

She laughed to herself as she got up and fixed her a plate. Still chuckling to herself, she started eating. I shrugged and dug into my food. I was halfway through my second plate when Seph and Cora came in.

“Thought I’d find you here when you weren’t in the hospital room,” Seph said as she poured herself a cup.

I swallowed and asked, “Were you looking for me?”

“Yeah, I was. I just wanted to touch base with you,” she said, taking a seat.

“Alright,” I said and leaned back a bit to stretch. “What’s on your mind?”

She looked worriedly down at her hands and would only glance up at me shortly before she turned them back to her hands. I sighed, leaned forward and took one of hers in mine.

“Just spit it out, Seph,” I said, exuding calm. “The only thing that’ll piss me off is if you tell me that you and Ben are running away together and leaving this all behind.”

She looked up at me in shock and then blushed, “No, nothing like that. God, how can you even think that me and Ben, no. It’s just…I don’t feel like I can do this. Be your Second. I don’t have the training or the years of experience. You should have Mom up here, not me.”

“Seph. I know that you don’t think you can do this, but you can. You have been. You can have all the training in the world and still not be able to do as well as you have. Training can only get you so far. We have to be intuitive, look beyond what’s in front of our eyes, be willing to ask people for help, be willing to listen to what others tell us. We take in all of this information and then we plan and then execute the plan. I’m always questioning myself. Whether I made the right choice, did I do everything that I was supposed to do or all that I could do. After the joint council meeting, I was left with a bad feeling. Like something was off or disjointed. It could have been someone looking the wrong way or moving in an odd fashion, I don’t know. Then when I woke up the day before the solstice and realized that it was going to be solstice, the wrongness grew. I knew that the two were connected somehow. Since I knew that Lexa was going to be alone and that it bothers her more than it does me, I didn’t want her to be alone. I couldn’t leave because of my duties here and the fact that if there was such a feeling of wrongness, it would have been dangerous for both of us to be in the same place. So, I sent Dani in my stead. The rest is history.”

“So, you felt that something was going to happen, but you didn’t know if it was good or bad, just wrong. And since you couldn’t be with her, you did the best next thing by sending Dani to keep her company and protect her.”

“Yes. Because I sent Dani, which I pray that she’ll forgive me for it, the explosion didn’t do what it was intended to do. Which was to kill the both of us, thinking that it would throw the pack into chaos. They didn’t succeed because I was here instead of there, which in turn also saved Lexa and Dani’s lives.”

“And yet you didn’t even hesitate,” she said quietly, “to pick up the mantle of power and do what needed to be done.”

“If I had hesitated for the merest of a second, things would have turned out way differently and we’d be worse for it. I have no fucking clue what I’m doing. None, but I’m trying. I’m trying because I want to keep our people safe. I have an obligation to them, so I can’t wuss out or stop because it gets too hard. That’s the difference between leaders and everyone else. We do it so they don’t have to. We shoulder the pain, the tiredness, the emptiness, the heartache, the anger because we can’t bear to watch others do it when our own shoulders are so much more capable. This is who we are, Seph. Who we are meant to be. Yeah, it sucks and sometimes you want to tell the world to fuck off, but we do it anyway. And we always come out stronger. Always.”

“What exactly does that mean for me?”

I sighed and leaned forward, making her look me in the eyes and said, “What it means for you is that you’ve got to suck it up, buttercup. We lean on each other. I’m not supposed to be _de Pakstoka_. You’re not supposed to be the Forest Pack Second. Neither of us knows how the hell to do this, we just know what needs to be done if we want to keep our people safe.”

“Which means that I keep doing what I have been doing. _Ge smak daun, gon op nodotaim_.”

I smiled, “Yes. Just like I’ve been doing since I was 18 years old. We don’t ever quit, Seph. Ever.”

“You know tomorrow’s going to be like the biggest bitch in the world, right,” she said with a rueful smile.

I groaned and replied, “It’s not just tomorrow. We have less than two weeks to get our shit together and keep our pack alive. Every day is going to be the biggest bitch until we can finally step back for a moment and breathe.”

“Can we hold off until tomorrow,” she asked hopefully.

“We can and we will. Everyone needs some time to recoup, even if it’s just for one night.”

“Then I’ll see you at breakfast tomorrow?”

“Yes. I’ll be here.”

“Good, but before I leave,” she said hesitantly. “I had your things moved to Lexa’s suite. I have a feeling that you’ll be having a lot of impromptu meetings and it’s easier to do it in her sitting room, than in the office.”

“That’s fine,” I said, not really wanting to fight her on it. “I think it’s time we find Scarlett and haul her back here, so that she can get some rest too.”

“Don’t bother,” Seph said with a grin. “She’s heading back now. I’ll send her up to the room.”

“Thanks?”

“It’s my job to take care of you, which means taking care of your women. So, she was forcibly removed to get some much needed rest. For her own good, of course.”

“Oh, of course,” Clarke said, chuckling. “Can’t have any of us dropping dead from exhaustion.”

“Nope, can’t have that,” she said and started to leave, “Good night, guys.”

“Good night, Seph.”

“Night, Sis.”

Clarke and I walked up to Lexa’s suite, now mine, and hesitantly opened the door. Lexa’s scent still lingered in the air and I inhaled it deeply before slowly letting it out. Clarke had gone and sat on the couch and I watched as her hands glided over the cushion where Lexa was last sitting. I walked over and kneeled in front of her, taking her hand and kissing the palm. She smiled at me, but it wasn’t a true smile, it was rather sad and and I felt anger flare and then quickly go out knowing why she was sad.

“I’ll be right back,” I said and waited until she nodded.

I got up and ran down into the wine cellar. My hand went immediately to one of the Rendon 16’s, but I stalled and let my hand drift down. Tonight wasn’t a night to celebrate. Tonight, I wanted something different. I wanted to get drunk. I walked by the wines and the whiskey and rum and found a several cases of Grounder Ale. I smiled at the memories of the three of us getting trashed and floating in the lake during a full moon, completely naked doing nothing more than letting go of ourselves and responsibilities. Nodding to myself, I grabbed a couple of cases and promised myself that we’d have one of those nights again.

I quickly ran back up to the room and walked in to find Scarlett infuriated and hissing more than speaking. I glanced quickly at Clarke and she was fine, but was having a hard time trying not to laugh at Scarlett. When the door shut behind me, Scarlett whirled on me and stalked towards me until I was backed against the door.

“Ya wanna tell me why I was bodily hauled away from my patients,” she hissed at me.

I swallowed and cleared my throat and replied, “You’ve been working nonstop since you got here, Scar. I knew you wouldn’t stop anytime soon, so I pulled you from your patients. You need rest and food. The medical staff can do without you for at least eight hours, Scar.”

“Harrumph, and what’s this,” she asked pointing down to the cases in my hand.

I grinned wickedly and said, “Only the best ale ever made. Grounder Ale. I thought we could get wasted.”

She practically purred and snatched a case out of my hands, “Now, you’re talking my language, sugar.”

I breathed a sigh of relief and followed her over to the couches and snagged a bottle. I popped the top and handed it to Clarke and then got one of my own. I sat on the couch and propped my feet up as I took a long swig of my beer.

Clarke delicately sniffed the bottle and then took a delicate sip, making me and Scarlett laugh.

“Goodness, sugar,” Scarlett said, “You’re not gonna get a taste of it if you drink like that. Go on, take a real good swallow of it. That’s it.”

Clarke made a face at Scarlett, but took a healthy swallow of the beer. We watched her intently, waiting for her reaction. Her eyes widened in surprise and a smile spread over her lips. She took a second drink of it and leaned back, bringing the bottle up and turning it over.

“Damn, that’s good,” she said chuckling.

“And we have another Grounder Ale lover,” Scarlett whooped and chugged hers.

We laughed when she let out a huge belch in satisfaction. I just laid my arm across the back of the couch and drank more sedately. As we drank, we kept the conversation light and fun and away from everything that was going on. Pretty soon, the room was full of our friends and everyone was enjoying themselves. We had needed this and it showed in their body languages as the tension left and their bodies relaxed. 

Someone tapped me on the head and I looked up to see Tommy, a cousin from my father’s side of the family. He grinned down at me and I whooped in joy at seeing him. I grabbed the back of the couch and somersaulted over it and brought him into a bear hug. My antics caused Clarke and Scar to laugh, but I didn’t care.

I let him go, breathless from my little stunt, and leaned back on the couch, “Where the hell ya been hidin’, Tommy-boy?”

He laughed and replied, “In the garage, o’ course. Someone’s gotta take care of our babies.”

“Goddamn, it’s so good to see you,” I said with a huge grin on my face. “How’s the fam?”

“They’re all good. Mom somehow found a frickin’ Indian chopper that she’s fixin’ up. Dad’s _still_ workin’ on that monster of his. Caleb’s in East Pack, chasin’ the girls now and then there’s Sophie. She wasn’t born yet before you had to leave. She’s a hell spawn and damn proud of it, too. I swear, she’s gonna drive my folks plain loco with the way she tears through the house.”

“Damn, where’d your moms find an Indian?”

“In some sealed garage in Charleston. She told me that there were a lot of beauts down there, but she only had eyes for the bike. Of course, she had it sneak it back to the place, but it’s now her baby. I think she loves it more than us,” he said laughing.

I laughed, “Why ain’t your dad done with the truck?”

“He’s insisting that he can figure out a way to get three times the energy output from the six panels he can fit on there without it bein’ gaudy. I keep telling him that there’s no way without a powerful enough storage unit that wouldn’t lay the weight on, ya know. But, he ain’t giving up hope yet. By the way, the ground clearance is damn near as tall as I am.”

“Holy fuck and you ain’t no small fry. Has he at least got it runnin’ n drivable?”

“Yeah, but he’s scairt of the rain. Thinks the damn thing will melt or sumthin’,” he said shaking his head at his dad’s antics.

“He’s such a baby,” I said smirking. “Why’s Caleb in Eastern?”

“He got a job in C-ville at the Grounder Brewery. He’s their head chemist. In point of fact, this is one of his special brews. Ain’t even out yet,” he said with pride.

“You’re shittin’ me,” I exclaimed.

“No, ma’am. He won’t give out the receipt. Not even to the head honchos over there. Cagey bastard, that one,” he said chuckling.

I shook my head in wonderment.

He stepped in close and leaned down to speak to me more privately, “Hey, I got a question for you. Do you know how I can’t get Raven to talk to me more? She’s slippery than an eel. Every time I go to talk to her, she just bolts.”

I grinned up at him, “Ya like her, dontcha?”

He blushed and nodded, “It took me months to figger out a way to talk to her.”

I pushed him away and guffawed, “You?! Thomas Bartholomew Caster, the man that could charm the pants off any woman, found it hard to talk to one tiny woman? Damn, the world must be endin’. Look, man. I’m not the one to ask. Clarke here’s her best friend. She’d be the one to talk to.”

He shook his head and stammered, “I, I kent do that. She’s the frickin’ Chancellor. Ain’t that like rude of sumptin’?”

“Dude! She’s my bondmate. She ain’t gonna care that yer just some mechanic,” I said smiling, “As a matter of fact,” I leaned over and caught Clarke’s attention, “Hey, Clarke, I’d like to introduce you to someone.”

She looked up at me smiling, her cheeks rosy from the beer, and turned around and got up at her knees, “Who’s this?”

“Clarke, I’d like you to meet my cousin, Tommy. One of the best guys I know,” I said and then whispered in her ear, “He’s got the hots for Raven, but she’s evading him. Got any suggestions.”

“Hey, Tommy, it’s nice to meet one of Nyx’s family members,” she said and held out her hand.

He shook her hand, his blush creeping up, “It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.”

Clarke looked at me and said, “Did he just call me ma’am?”

“He did,” I said, smiling. “Tommy, you can call her Clarke. It’s not like she’s gonna bite yer head off or send you flying across the room. Yer beein’ stupid.”

He narrowed his eyes at me and said, “Who’s callin’ who stupid? You couldn’t have passed quantum mathematics without me.”

“Yeah, and who couldn’t figger out how to draw schematics of a simple four-cylinder engine and it’s components,” I said, right back at him. 

He harrumphed and then turned his attention back to Clarke, “Raven didn’t like it either when I called her ma’am. Are all of ya like that?”

“Pretty much,” Clarke said with a wide grin, “We ain’t no Southern Belles holding tea parties or getting ourselves all dressed up to impress our gentlemen or gentlewoman callers. Rae’s usually covered in grease when she gets a chance to work on machines. As a matter of fact, she’s been eyeballs deep in oily water just to fix a submerged pump.”

His eyes grew wide and a small smile played on his lips, “Now, that’s sounds fun.”

I rolled my eyes and said, “You would think that’s fun.”

“Don’t give me that look, you know you’d druther play in that or mud.”

“Guilty,” I said, holding my hands up and grinning. “Oh, I miss those times. I’m gonna have to pay a visit to yer folks when I get a chance.”

“You just wanna take the Indian out fer a ride. God, you and moms with yer damn bikes,” he said, shaking his head, “And speaking of bikes, when you gonna let me test out yers?”

I leaned back, my hand over my heart, and gasped, “Oh, hell naw, Tommy. You ain’t gettin’ nowhere near my baby. It took me two years fixin’ it up the way I like it. I’m not gonna let your fat ass near it.”

Clarke laughed and said, “When’ll you take me out for a spin on it.”

I leaned over and kissed her smartly, “When this shit’s over. It’ll knock your socks off.”

Just then, Scarlett popped up and decided to join the conversation. She took one look at Tommy and practically purred as her eyes raked over Tommy from head to toe, making him blush under her scrutiny.

“Scarlett, don’t even think about getting’ yer claws in my cuz, He’s reserved,” I said, eyeing her.

She pouted at me and replied, “Oh, come on, sugar. I just wanna play with him.”

I groaned and told her, “He ain’t one of yer toys. Like I said, he’s reserved.”

He coughed, “Ya know cuz, I can speak fer myself.”

“I know ye can, Tommy, but she’s too damn clever fer ya. If I don’t nip her in the bud, you’ll end up in her bed,” I said with a grin, “but now that you’re here too, Scar, maybe you ken help. Ya see, Tommy here’s got feelin’s for Raven, but she keeps scootin’ away faster than a greased pig. Got ‘nythin’?

“Well, if that’s the problem, ya gotta catch her by surprise,” she said thinking. “Lay a trap with sumthin’ tasty. What does she like?”

“Anything mechanical or techno,” Clarke supplied.

“Ya got anythin’ that’ll draw her attention, Tommy,” Scarlett asked.

He tilted his head up, thinking, and then a smile formed and he looked down at her and said, “I just might. I’ve got an ATV that’s got me confused. Would that work?”

Clarke grinned at him and said, “That’ll do the trick. If you’re as good as I think you are and you’re having problems, she’ll take up the challenge.”

An idea formed in my head and I smiled at the thought.

“Crap, you’ve got that damn look on yer face, Nyx,” Tommy said, backing up a bit.

“She sure does, sugah,” Scarlett said, and leaned forward in anticipation.

Clarke looked at them confused, “What? What’s she doing?”

“She’s got an idea and it usually spells trouble.”

I looked at her and glared, “That’s not what you said when I got that yacht.”

She huffed, “That’s different.”

“Hah, got it out right under his damn nose and he didn’t even notice,” I said, already scanning the room. My smile came back and I said, “I’ll be right back.”

Raven was in a corner of the room, talking with Ben and Seph. I walked up to them as if I had all the time in the world.

Ben spotted me and a grin lit his face up, “Nyx, where you been hiding?”

“On the couch, of course,” I replied easily. “Ben, I hate to interrupt y’all, but I need this one here,” pointing to Raven.

She gave me a panicked look and then looked for an escape, but couldn’t find one since she was in a corner.

“No prob, boss,” he said, realizing that I was up to something. “Just remember to keep her in one piece.”

I looked at him and replied, “There’s no guarantee that’ll happen, but I’ll try.”

“Wha..,” was all the time she had to get out, before I bent and hefted her over my shoulder as she squealed.

“Seph, Ben,” I said, easily holding her in place. “See you tomorrow.”

“See ya.”

“Laters.”

They started laughing at the look on her face.

I walked back over, Scarlett laughing her ass off while Clarke looked on in disbelief, and poor Tommy was blushing furiously.

I walked past them and tugged Tommy after me. I came up to a door and opening it, found out it was a closet. I dumped her on a pile of clothes where she squeaked and tried to scramble out of the pile.

“There ya go, Tommy,” I said with a grin. “I’d ward the door, if I were you,” and slapped him on his back. “Have fun, but not too much, cuz.”

With that I sauntered out and closed the door behind me. 

Scarlett handed me my beer and said, “Yer beer, ya brilliant, brilliant woman.”

I sniggered and drained the last of it, “Ah. Ya know me. I was always good at improv.”

A slow grin spread across her face as she remembered something, “That you are, my dear. That you are.”

I flipped over the couch and landed with my head in Clarke’s lap. She leaned down and kissed me and I pulled her closer to deepen the kiss. Then she smacked me on the forehead.

“Of all the crazy shit, I’ve seen you do,” she said giving me a mock glare, “That’s your answer?”

I looked up at her with a gleam in my eye and replied, “Worked fer you, didn’ it?”

She blushed and said, “I guess it did.”

“Last call,” some yelled, “We’re almost out.”

“No,” Clarke cried and leapt up, nearly making me fall off the couch. “Gimme!”

Scarlett and I laughed our asses off at her antics. Scarlett took Clarke’s spot and ran her finger’s through my hair.

“I like the new look, darlin’,” she said as she kissed me thoroughly.

I smiled and replied, “Thanks. Needed sumthin’ new. Fresh start ‘n all.”

“Better ‘n that tail of yours,” she said with a grin. “I think I nearly lost an eye once or twice.”

I chuckled deep in my throat and replied, “And I woulda fixed ya right up, if I had.”

“No doubt.”

Clarke came back triumphant and held up three bottles. She flopped over my legs and handed each of us one. I leaned up and took a big swig before I settled back on Scarlett’s lap. I looked down my nose at Clarke, and she was leaning her head on the arm and there was a dreamy smile on her face. I nudged her with my foot and she looked down at me and the smile was still there.

“Good thoughts there,” I asked.

She nodded, “Good is not the word I would use to describe my particular thoughts at the moment.”

I looked up at Scarlett and raised an eyebrow at her. She chuckled as she looked at me.

“I think she has plans fer us,” she said.

“I think I agree with ya,” I said as I sat up and pulled my legs out from under Clarke. “Five minutes tops.”

Scarlett scrunched up her face in thought, “I’m gonna say 10 minutes.”

“We’re feelin’ generous tonight, huh?”

“Benefit of a doubt.”

I hefted myself up to stand and hollered, “All right, y’all. Party’s over. We have work to do in the morning. Make sure you get some water and if you can’t make your way to your beds, find a vacant one and crash. I don’t want to see any injuries.”

There were nods and other types of affirmation and I looked over at Seph and said, “Play nice, Seph.”

“Alright.”

“Good girl, I’ll see you at breakfast.”

“Yep. Bright eyed and bushy tailed.”

I grinned and watched as everyone left. I sighed at the mess, but I wasn’t worried about taking care of it tonight.

“Tommy and Raven,” Scarlett asked. 

“If they haven’t come out now, they won’t,” I said shrugging. “Either way, there’s gonna be a tale to tell.”

She laughed and hauled Clarke up onto her feet and wrapping an arm around her waist. They both staggered and I chuckled to myself as I followed them. 10 minutes was indeed going to be generous amount of time.


	53. Nyx

The alarm went off and Scarlett, who was closer smashed at it until it stoped. I leaned up on my elbows and saw that she’d broken it. I chuckled and Scarlett hid her head under her pillow.

“Oh, god, my head,” Clarke moaned. “How much did I drink last night?”

“Um, six beers, I think,” I replied.

She opened a glaring eye and asked, “Didn’t you drink like three times that? How are you freaking sober? You are sober, right?”

“I hate you, Nyx,” Scarlett said from underneath the pillow. “You and your damn high tolerance and fucking metabolism.”

I chuckled, “It’s not my fault it’s near impossible to get me drunk. I was only pleasantly buzzed. And by the way, there was less than three minutes before the both of you passed out.”

“Fuck you.”

“Yeah, what she said,” Clarke grumbled.

“Want me to make you feel better,” I asked.

“Oh, god, please make this go away.”

Laughing, I laid my hands on them and they let out groans of relief as their hangovers went away. Clarke sat up slowly, making sure that she was able to as Scarlett snaked an arm around my waist and pulled me to her making me yelp in surprise. She straddled me and pinned me down on the bed. I looked up at her questioningly and she gave me slow grin as she leaned down and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her closer. She shivered as my fire skimmed over her skin and moaned in pleasure. Clarke wasn’t about to be left out and I arched my back as she laid a hand on me. I pulled her closer and we spent way more than 10 minutes in bed.

We showered and dressed in companionable silence. Clarke went and checked the closet, but it was empty.

“Wonder when they left,” Scarlett said, draping an arm around her shoulders.

“Don’t know, but it was definitely after I fell asleep,” I replied as I led the way to the kitchen.

Seph and Ben were there eating their breakfast. We made our own and joined them at the table.

Seph looked at me and said, “I expected to see you down here several hours ago.”

“I would’ve been,” I replied, genially, “but these two had other ideas. How’s everyone else?”

“Down in medical,” she replied with a grin. “They all had hangovers. Tommy and Raven were the last to leave the house.”

I grinned and said, “Oh, really?”

She grinned back and said, “They didn’t look none the worse for wear, but I think he’s winning her over.”

“Good,” Clarke said, “She needs someone that isn’t a machine or computer.”

“So, Seph, what’s on the agenda today?”

“You and I need to go over those reports I told you about. Then there’s the Council meeting at two. Wall and house inspection after. Meeting with Clarke’s Council at four. Technos immediately after that. Guard inspection before dinner.”

“That’s not too bad,” I said. “I just wish that it could be a joint meeting, Seph. I hate having to repeat myself.”

“Yeah, well our Council refuses to speak about pack business in front of non-pack members. Bunch of stuck up stick in the muds.”

I sighed, “They are most definitely that, especially since this involves all of us. Do we know where Jaha’s at?”

“It looks like you were right,” Ben said. “He’s heading towards the Eastern Border.”

I nodded, “He wants to look like he’s made his way from Old Towne, try and hope that we didn’t know where’s he been.”

“You got a plan for when he gets here,” Clarke asked.

“I actually do. Since he’s been branded with Ice Packs sigil, he officially belongs to them. We’ll scar out the brand that came from us if the slaver hasn’t already done that and call in a retrieval team.”

“Retrieval team?”

“That’s right. There are people who hunt down runaway slaves and sell them back to the people who own them. They actually make a tidy little profit from it. I know a guy that’ll be more than willing to get him. I owe him a favor anyway. It’ll make us square.”

“I won’t ask,” Clarke said, shaking her head.

“Good idea,” replied Scarlett.

“Where’s Cora,” I asked Seph.

“She hasn’t made it back from medical yet,” she replied. “Poor girl spent the night being intimate with a toilet.”

I grimaced, “Ew. I hope they sober her up quick. The two of you will be at both Council meetings.”

“Do I have to,” she whined.

“You’re my Second, kiddo. Thems the rules.”

“Stupid bomb,” she grumbled and then realized what she said, “Sorry.”

“It was a stupid bomb, but I got them and they are dead. You’ll find out everything at the meeting.”

Everyone finished their breakfast and we headed in opposite directions. Clarke and Scarlett headed out to check on Lexa and Dani while Ben headed to the techno lab. Seph and I grabbed a carafe of coffee and headed into the office.

I sat behind the desk and started pulling papers to me, “Alright, let’s see what we got.”

We got to work on the guard rosters and I was glad for the additional numbers. We set up rotations so that they wouldn’t be stuck just watching the wall or guarding the bunker. We figured three week rotations and rotated the first batch. That would go to Lincoln, but first I needed to talk to him.

Twenty minutes later, Lincoln arrived while we were sorting through the food supplies.

“You wanted to see me, _Pakstoka_ ,” he asked.

I waved him over to me and he sat in one of the chairs. I handed him the postings and he looked them over.

“This is more than doable,” he replied.

“Good,” I said nodding, “but there’s going to be some adjustments in a moment.”

“Why’s that?”

“I need a team, spec ops, to head to Northeast Pack. One of the men was a spy for the Coalition. I need you to go to his residence and search the property for any intel that’s to be found there. He’s got a safe hidden in his bedroom that I want brought back intact. Arrest his family members and bring them here. There’s also a cabin on the other side of the border, a tunnel leading to it. That’s where most of the information is at. I need everything there. The cabin is warded and probably his house, too. I’ve got both of his hands preserved to keep the wards from destroying the buildings. I’m also going to need a detachment sent there and to the border. All high ranking officials from Pakstoka to the Garrison Commander are to be removed from their posts. They’ve been compromised. The borders are shut down already, but I want the detachment staying there until new people can be appointed. Keep their minds and mouths intact for interrogation later. I could care less about their bodies.”

“That’s easy enough to handle,” he replied. “How soon do you want them deployed?”

“Sunset. Pick your men and then come back with the adjusted postings. I’ll look it over for approval and let you know either tonight or first thing in the morning.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes,” I replied. “Dismissed.”

He stood up and bowed his head and said, “ _Pakstoka_ ,” and left.

“Okay, you have got to tell me what’s going on,” Seph said.

“I will,” I replied. “Once Cora gets back.”

We got back to work and around 11, Cora showed up still looking green around the edges.

“Are you gonna make it,” I asked upon seeing her.

She nodded, “I should.”

I sighed and motioned her to come over. I healed the last of her hangover sickness and she sat down and poured herself a cup of coffee.

“Alright,” I said. “Here’s what happened.”

I explained to them everything that I had learned and my suspicions as to why. I had to control the slow burning rage that had settled in my chest and the need to avenge the deaths of the innocent bystanders. There was no way that I could confront the Coalition without a strong case to bring against them. The hardest part was that I could not go to anyone higher than them. I could only hope that they would recompense the cost of relocation and rebuilding and an apology.

 

We broke for lunch and with as much confidence as we could muster, headed over to speak with my Council. They greeted us with the respect we deserved and we got down to business.

“Can you now tell us what exactly happened on solstice,” Councilor Gardner asked.

I nodded, “I can. Councilor Kilpatrick set off an explosive that was meant to kill Lexa Devereux and myself in order to create chaos that would leave us vulnerable to the Coalition. He was recruited by the Coalition to spy on the northeastern border and the Forest Pack. He’s been feeding them information for at least 14 years now. I’m sending a retrieval team to gather up any and all information that’s he’s kept over the years. Once that’s given to me, I’ll be able to discern exactly what they’ve been told and figure out a way to spin any information that could be damaging to us.”

“Is the Northeastern Pack compromised,” Council Stevens asked.

“Unfortunately, it is. He bribed every official in the pack in order to be elected to the Council. They’ll be removed and a detachment of guards will be placed there until new people can be appointed to their posts. I can guarantee you that I will be dealing with this personally. This is the second border pack that has been compromised. I already now that you have no ill intentions towards the pack, but I ask that you investigate your officials and make sure that there is nothing stewing within your packs.”

“And Councilor Drovich,” Councilor Salinas of the Southeastern Pack asked.

“He conspired with Kilpatrick to kill me,” I said, my voice cold. “As you all know, I’m an anomaly. I have five powers that have yet to be defined on a power scale. As such, he believed that for the safety of the pack, I needed to be eliminated.”

“For whatever reason, he had thirty guard members in his employ,” Seph informed them. “This possibly extends to the fact that prior to Lexa’s endeavors in the Western Pack, he helped with getting information in and out for the Ice Pack. He readily admitted that he helped the Ice Pack spy escape after the incident on the Northern Border.”

“I don’t understand,” Councilor Gardner said. “You’ve been nothing but an asset since you took up your position as Second the first go around.”

I gave her a small smile and replied, “Thank you Councilor Gardner for that kindness. Like with many things, when we come across something different, something that doesn’t fit the mold or ideal, we usually search for a way to destroy it. With me, it’s no different. Outside of our borders, if anyone ever learned the extent of my powers or the simple fact that I have five, I would either be killed or captured and experimented upon. The number of powers that I possess is unheard of and the same thing goes for my seemingly unlimited power and strength. Even among the werewolves, I’m stronger, bigger, fiercer and nearly as fast as Dani Rendon. I’m not saying this to brag or make you fearful of me. This is just simply fact. It’s why I’m such a closely guarded secret.”

“Speaking of your powers, _Pakstoka_ ,” Councilor Adamson of the Southwest Pack said, “Can we still shield the territory from the Ice Pack and the Coalition.”

I nodded, “Yes. It’s my intention that as soon as our techno mages have figured out how to do it, it’ll be done. In order for that to happen, I also need the most up to date data on the topography of the land and exactly where the border lines are. Once that information is complete, we’ll coordinate with the Gate Commanders so that we can set the entrances of the ward up simultaneously. It’s not going to be quick because this is going to take precision and timing. On the day that it happens, I need everyone away from the border for that day. I can’t have anyone sneaking out or going near the areas where the ward and shield will go nor where the poles will be placed. You must impress upon your packs the importance of this.”

They nodded agreement and I said, “Good. Now we also have a bit of new business. Councilors, this is Cora Allistar,” I said and motioned for her to come forward. “As of yesterday, she has been adopted into my family and as such is my chosen successor. She is also another closely guarded pack secret of the highest order. She’s a null. Only in the sense that no power can harm or have any affect on her. It’s been tested and proven.”

The stared at her and she ducked her head in embarrassment.

“Whatever is coming is something that is earth changing. I don’t know what it is or how or when. Mother Earth has just told me that there is something and we, as a pack, are at the center of it. It’s why the Manassas bunker opened. It’s why I’m as powerful as I am. It’s why Cora is a null. It’s why I’m bonded to four women. It’s why Lexa Devereux and Clarke Griffin have a lifebond. Because of this, we need to protect our pack and territory at all costs, that goes for the humans as well. I cannot stress enough to you how important it is to find a solution to the human problem. I believe we will need them to help get us through this.”

“It’s also why we need the Manassas pack and mages to become part of our pack,” Seph informed them. “Each of their Council members are the strongest of their powers. They gave us two techno mages, a lightning mage, two healers, and another pack. We can’t toss them off to the side, because they disagree with our human policies or the fact that they respect the humans. We need everyone that came out of that bunker.”

“What are you suggesting we do with the humans,” Councilor Richards asked.

“We need to figure out a way that will keep them safe and utilize their numbers. It’s near impossible for them to understand that we enslave humans and that that is the best they can hope for. They’ve now been witness to what happens to humans that don’t have an owner. Two of theirs were killed in less than 48 hours. Three of them were caught and sold into slavery. The last one is struggling to survive. They know what’s waiting for them outside the borders. Now, we just have to convince them that our intention is not to beat them down and break their spirits once they have owners. Or figure out another way to get them to compromise with us.”

“Compromise with humans,” Councilor Saldanas asked, slightly offended at the notion.

“Yes, Councilor Salinas. Compromise. If they want to live here in safety than they need to be willing to give up what they believe are their rights and bow down to the idea of slavery or we need to come up with some kind of arrangement that give both sides what we need.”

“You know that this is going to take us awhile to come up with ideas that they may find satisfactory.”

“I do, but I also have to remind you, Councilors, that we have a time limit. Winter solstice has just passed. We have until the end of Spring to come up with a solution and have it implemented. At the end of Spring, I have to speak with the Coalition over many matters that affect the pack. I’d prefer to have this decided by April.”

“Why April, if you don’t mind me asking,” she said.

“I need time to build a case against Ice Pack and the Coalition, and finalize what’s going on here. I’d like to go to the Coalition before my time’s up, Councilor.”

“I understand,” she said, nodding.

“Good,” I said. “Now is there anything that you, Councilors, need to bring to my attention?”

“Our only concern, _Pakstoka_ ,” Councilor Adamson said, “is when will we be able to have access to our families? I only ask this because we’re usually home celebrating with them.”

“I understand your concern, Councilor,” I said, my voice soft with regret. “Once we get the shield up and handle the Northeast pack, I’d like you to be able to go home and be with your families. I know this is a difficult time for you, being away from them and having restricted access in your communications and I’m sorry for that. Just, please, give this some time. That’s all I ask.”

“Thank you for that,” she said. “We’re all willing to help you with this any way we can. Once you have everything you need, we’ll coordinate with our packs and make sure that everything is done.”

“Thank you,” I said, sighing. “Now, if there’s nothing else you’d like to discuss, I’d like to end this meeting. Just remember that our priority are the humans and the people of Manassas.”

They nodded and left, quietly murmuring among themselves. I stood up and stretched before I turned to the girls.

“Thoughts,” I asked, leaning against the table.

“They were surprisingly reasonable,” Seph said as she leaned back in her chair.

“Any guesses as to why?”

“It’s because of the bomb and the fact that it was the Coalition that tried to kill you and Lexa,” Cora said.

I nodded, “Yes. Oftentimes, fear can be a very powerful motivator. Even though we have a council that can run the pack, they don’t want to have that kind of responsibility.”

“Especially, after the way the Devereuxs and Allistars have successfully kept the pack at peace.”

“True. Other territories have had multiple civil wars where one pack or clan or whatever tries to gain control over the territory. It leaves the territory in constant turmoil. There’s only two other territories that are semi-peaceful, the Floridian Territory and the _Sofstepa_ Territory.”

“They’re also frightened of you.”

I quirked an eyebrow and replied, “Why do you think that, Cora?”

She blushed and fidgeted with her jacket a bit before answering, “They’re afraid of you because of your powers and how powerful they are, but that’s just one reason. In a way, you’re like the ultimate predator. You’re stronger, faster, more powerful, you’re more cunning than the rest of us, deadlier, and you’re senses are probably pretty heightened, too. You are legitimately on top of the food chain. _The_ Apex.”

“So, why not just kill me, like Drovich wanted to,” I asked, curious to hear her answer.

“Simply put, they need you. If what you say is true, that there is something coming that can change the world as we know it, they want to make sure that you’re on their side. They’re not going to risk pissing you off and possibly blowing their only chance to survive.”

“Would they kill me once the threat is permanently removed?”

She thought about this and then answered, “I don’t think so. Like Councilor Gardner said, you’ve been nothing but an asset to the pack. From what I’ve heard about you and by your reputation, you’ve never used your ultimate Apex dominance to get your way or do anything like that. You’ve bent over backwards to make sure that people are taken care of. You treat everyone with equal amounts of respect. You don’t ask anyone to do anything that you wouldn’t be willing to do yourself. You’ve been proven to be a good commander. And lastly, you don’t want to be de Pakstoka. You’re happy serving as the Second.”

“And yet, I was banished because that’s what people believed,” I said as I looked at her intently.

“Not the majority of the people that knew you or had interacted with you on a daily basis,” she countered. “It’s possible that the reason why they put that pressure on Lexa is because they were jealous of all that you had. They wanted your power. Your influence.”

“Interesting,” I said and looked at the time and then sighed, “That’s an interesting insight, Cora. Keep thinking like that. We’ve got an hour before the next meeting, so we’d better get to inspecting.”

We left the Council House and began inspecting the homes. I was starting to realize that they were more important than the wall and I told them that. We agreed that we’ll pull the mages from the wall and start more earnestly on making as many houses and apartment buildings habitable. The second wall would be built, but it was more important for people to have suitable shelter. We’d already sent orders out to retrieve the food stores in Clifton and the people of Clifton would be bringing their own. Electricity and water and sewage were already repaired, but we did need to find people to maintain their operations.

We arrived at the second council meeting on time and we repeated the process. Of course, this time we were there as representatives of the Forest Pack and therefore our role was one of support rather than lead.

“ _Pakstoka_ ,” Kane said, drawing my attention to him, “I have to ask, is there a chance of retaliation from the Coalition or anything of that kind once they know that Kilpatrick has been found out?”

I smiled and shook my head, “That’s not how it works, Councilor. He was placed deep undercover with one contact. Since he’s been found out they’ll remove any information that they have that would indicate any involvement with him. For all intents and purposes, he did this all on his own. This is, of course, what will happen once word reaches them that they no longer have an asset within our territory.”

“We’re hoping that we’ll be able to find proof otherwise,” Seph said. “Something more substantial than emails or paperwork that they can’t easily be argued as being fabricated.”

“What kind of proof would that be,” Clarke asked.

“The best would be to find any footage of Kilpatrick and any of the higher echelons interacting with one another outside the border and speaking about business. And I must stress outside the border. Forest Pack, as you know, does not really leave the territory unless there’s a need to. Like when Gustus went looking for me. Otherwise, I’d need enough paperwork that screams Coalition involvement before they’d even consider that they were involved. Then most likely they will say that it was a rogue employee and blah, blah, blah,” I said. “They’ll deny any knowledge of it and swear that they’d never intentionally do that, but we all know that they do.”

“So, you don’t really expect anything from bringing what happened to their attention besides platitudes and perhaps monetary compensation for the damages,” Kane said.

I sighed, “Pretty much, but it’s main intention is to make them aware that we’re aware of what they’re up to. Make them tread more carefully with us.”

“Have you officially commandeered Manassas,” Bellamy asked.

I nodded, “For the time being. You guys still have complete autonomy and we won’t interfere in your day to day operations. The housing of the citizens of Clifton is meant to be temporary until we can either rebuild the damage and secure the city or find a new capital. Honestly, it’ll be up to Lexa to decide which way we go.”

“With the arrival of your people,” Bellamy asked, “will my people be at greater risk?”

“Are we speaking about the ones that leave the bunker for work detail or in general?”

“The work details.”

“No, they won’t. Since they’re still under guard, the citizens won’t interfere with your people. They may take a wider berth around the detail and do the whole spectacle of what they think of humans, but they wouldn’t dare harm them in any way. And speaking of your people, Councilor, how are they doing?”

“Honestly, they’re feeling restless. They’re beginning to fight among themselves more because they’re bored. Maintaining the bunker or working in the greenhouses, meat packing plant and dairy farm isn’t enough to keep them occupied or ease their worry.”

“Have they brought you any ideas on how to alleviate that boredom,” I asked as some thoughts started going through my head.

“Outside of leaving the bunker permanently, you mean?”

I nodded and he replied, “The bunker only needs a few people to keep it operational. I believe if they have more to do, maybe what they were trained for, would help alleviate the issues.”

“Do your people have guilds,” Cora asked.

“Guilds,” he asked her. “What are guilds?”

“A guild is made up of a group of people that have a common craft,” she replied. “Like mechanics or some kind of skill. There’s usually at least one person that is in charge overall to dole out jobs and whatnot.”

“We have various departments,” Kane said. “Farm, Water Filtration, Engineering, Sanitation, and things of that nature. They each have a department head. Is this what you’re talking about?”

Cora’s eyes lit up and she smiled, “That’s it exactly,” and then turned to me and asked, “Since we are going to have an influx of people coming here, wouldn’t it be more prudent to get everyone involved in getting everything up and running and then keeping it operational.”

“Possibly,” I said, thinking. “It would free up our mages to be able to focus on the more important tasks that need to be accomplished. It’d be a slower process, though, since it would all be done by hand.”

“The question, though, is,” Seph said, leaning towards Bellamy, “if we allow them this opportunity, what kind of reassurances would we have that they won’t try to harm the citizens, Councilor?”

“I’m not sure that I can supply you with an answer right now, but do I have permission to speak with the department heads about this?”

“I don’t see where there’s harm in having the discussion,” Clarke said. “In all honest truth, giving them more to do and allowing them to do it, would probably go a long way to getting them to trust us. _Pakstoka_?”

“No, I see no problem in having a discussion to broach this subject,” I replied. “And you’re right, Chancellor. This may very well be something that brings us closer to finding a permanent solution. If my Council sees that the humans are willing to compromise on this and work being surrounded by Apex, it might endear them to be more open about the types of solutions besides removing them completely from the territory.”

“Or making them into slaves,” Bellamy asked hopefully.

“Maybe, but I think that can be worked around. I have an idea, but I want to keep it close to my chest for a bit, before I broach it. In the meantime, discuss this with your people and maybe let me know what they think, Councilor.”

He nodded, “I can do that, _Pakstoka_.”

“Thank you.”

“Councilor Reyes,” I asked, “How’s the shield issue going?”

She looked up in surprise from a tablet and said, “You want to have this discussion now?”

“Why not,” I said shrugging. “They’re going to find out whether we have this discussion in private or not.”

“In that case, we’re just about done creating a working model to test the shield. It’ll be done by this evening,” she said.

I nodded, “Will you be adding a ward around the perimeter to see if the shield can work in tandem with it?”

“Yes, actually,” she replied, giving me a grin. “Ben told us that it would be more beneficial if they’re tied together to make sure that when the ward is unlocked that section of the shield would turn off without taking the whole shield down.”

“Which means that the shield would have to go into the ward itself. Kind of like an arm through a sleeve,” Seph said.

Raven grinned wide and replied, “That’s what we’re thinking. Not a bad analogy, kid.”

“Why is that important,” Octavia asked.

Raven turned to her and replied, “Tying the two together like that would actually strengthen the area of influence, double protection. We would then create a doorway that’s still strong and wouldn’t compromise the infrastructure and when closed, it would stay sealed. Like our contamination system in the bunker.”

“It’s the best idea since the shield needs a semi-solid foundation to sit on,” I supplied. “The ward acts as the foundation.”

“Is it because when we place wards, we anchor them underground to keep them in place,” Nate asked.

I smiled, “Now you’re getting it. Yes, that’s it exactly and one of the reasons why I want the shield to continue to go underground.”

“Why would you want the shield to go underground,” Abby asked.

I smiled wide, “Raven, has Ben told you anything about our recon prior to coming here?”

Her eyes widened in surprise and replied, “He did. He told me about the bugs.”

“Bugs,” Clarke said, confused, and then turned to me and asked, “You planted bugs in our camp?”

I nodded, still grinning, “We did. We needed the information, but that’s besides the point. The reason why I was able to get the bugs in here was because the shield doesn’t extend underground. All I had to do was tunnel them underneath the wall and they set themselves up.”

“Which means that if you can do that, others can as well,” Kane said, impressed.

“Exactly. Having the shield extend downward prevents that from happening. The deeper the shield goes, the harder it is for an earth mage to get the device to the other side.”

“What do you mean?”

“In order to move something underground without disturbing the surface takes a lot of concentration and focus. The priority is to keep the ground from collapsing on the object. You have to create a pocket of air around it, at the same time creating the tunnel and then letting the tunnel collapse behind it. It’s time consuming and if you don’t know what you’re doing, it could easily lead to someone’s death.”

“Which means,” Raven said thinking, “that we can use the anchor points of the ward to hold the shield in that position.”

“Yes,” I replied. “Raven, let me forewarn you, this is going to be the hardest thing you’ve done in your entire life. You’re the strongest of the three. You’re going to be the one that builds the shield and then meld it to the ward. I’m going to be helping you since it’ll be my ward. This is not something that can’t be rushed in any way. You do, you’ll use more power then is necessary.”

“Which will drain me faster.”

I nodded, “You cannot let yourself waver from the goal, doubt yourself. You cannot get frustrated at the time it will take to do this. You have to trust yourself implicitly and trust that I’m not going to leave you unprotected or on your own. Ben and Monty will provide you help as much as they can before they have to tap out.”

“I understand,” she said, the seriousness of her face and voice conflicting with her personality. “This is too important.”

“It is.”

“What else do we need to get this up and running,” Clarke asked.

“I need an up to date topographical map and photos of the entire territory,” I replied. “Ben’s drones will be able to give me that. I’m building a live model of the territory and I need as much detail as possible. That’s the time consuming part for me.”

“Where will this be done,” Kane asked.

“The indoor training room,” I replied. “It’s the biggest area to do it in, the quietest, and most easily secured.”

“Exactly how big is this going to be?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“Nyx, that’s all the information that I have for you,” Raven said, standing up. “I’ll let Ben know about the map and photos.”

“Thank you,” I replied, standing up and stretching as did everyone else. “And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to check on Lexa and Dani.”

Seph and Cora took off and Clarke joined me. She wrapped an arm around my waist and leaned her head on my shoulder as we made our way down. Scarlett wasn’t there when we entered the room, but neither of us expected her to be. There were too many wounded that needed her help. With unspoken words, she went to Lexa’s side and I went to Dani’s.

I sat on the bed and took Dani’s hand and brought it up to my lips, gently kissing it before I settled it in my lap. I sighed and moved the hair from her face, it looked like she’d had a terrible night.

“I hope you can forgive me for sending you there, Dani,” I whispered. “I think I’d die if I lost you. That’s how much I love you. The honest truth, Dani, is that I love you deeply and I’d claim you in a heartbeat if you’d let me. Clarke may have opened up my heart, but you’ve always had a claim on it. Always. You’re part of my soul, my love. I wish I could say these words to you when you’re awake. I don’t know if I can say them again, but I’m going to try.”

I couldn’t say anymore, because my throat closed up with my emotions and my chest felt too tight to breathe. I leaned down and laid my forehead on hers as I let a few tears escape. I opened my mind to hers and I poured every ounce of love that I had for her into her mind. I poured my heart and soul, trying to show her how much I cared for her without saying the words. I didn’t get a response back. I expected that. But I felt so guilty for putting her there. For sending her away from me, even if it was just for one night. That one night that nearly took her away from me. Trembling from the emotions running through me, I kissed her on her lips and wished with all my heart that she would kiss me back.

I sat back up, sighing, as I wiped the tears from my face. I glanced over at Clarke and Lexa and saw that Clarke was struggling as much as I was. I don’t know how long we sat there, but we didn’t move until Scarlett came in and joined us. We hugged each other and bowed our heads in prayer that they would be okay and would come back to us soon. With heavy hearts, we went back to the compound. We sat with the pack, and I tried to enjoy being around everyone, but it was hard.

When I couldn’t take anymore, I thanked Octavia for the meal and headed up to bed. I crawled under the covers and hugged a pillow tightly to me and wept. I fell asleep before they arrived, but my body relaxed as it felt them join me.


	54. Clarke

“Thank you for the dinner, Octavia,” Nyx said quietly and stood up, “If you’ll excuse me.” 

Octavia nodded, her eyes sad, and I watched as Nyx walked out of the dining room. I started to get out of my chair to follow, but Scarlett laid a hand on my arm, staying me.

“Don’t, Clarke,” Scarlett said. “Give her some time. I’ve seen her do this before. Right now, she’s too overcome with emotions to really want to talk or be around anyone. She’ll be okay.”

“I don’t know,” I replied, sighing and taking a sip of my wine. “She’s taking it really hard. She blames herself for what happened to Dani, even though she had no idea that it was going to be this bad.”

“I know she does, sweetie,” she replied. “I’d feel that way too if I had to send one of y’all away to a potentially dangerous situation. The healers from the mansion told me that Dani took the brunt of the explosion. I suspect that she threw herself over Lexa to protect her. When they found them, Dani was barely alive and they feared that they would have to amputate her leg or that she’d be completely paralyzed if she made it through the night. The only thing that was keeping her alive was Nyx.”

I paled and shivered at the thought of losing Dani like that and said, “I didn’t know that.”

Scarlett gave me a sad smile, “That’s because Nyx practically grew new body parts; bone, tissue, tendons, muscles, veins, nerves, and so on. She did that with all three of them at the same time. The healers were so stunned, they couldn’t move, could barely breathe watching her work. They were in complete awe of her, still are.”

“I am, too. We saw what she could do with her other powers, but this is the first time anyone’s witnessed what she can do with her healing.”

Scarlett nodded, “I think that if anyone has any lingering doubt about her wanting to be de Pakstoka, they won’t doubt any longer once word of this gets out. If she wanted it, all she had to do was let Lex die, but she didn’t. I don’t think she let anyone else die that day either, whether it was a conscious effort or not on her part.”

I nodded and said, “She told me that she wants to claim Dani.”

“I suspected as much,” she said as she recalled something. “When we first started seeing each other frequently, she would often call out her name. She always apologized after, but never really wanted to talk about it, so I didn’t press. Then one night, she finally opened up and told me about Lexa and Dani. I could tell that she really loved Lexa, but when she talked about Dani, there was a whole new depth of feeling that I knew she wanted Dani more. I’m even starting to feel that way about Dani. About all of you, really.”

My eyes widened in surprise and I asked, “You do?!”

She smiled sweetly and replied, “I do. Bunch of werewolves and a human mage, but I do. I don’t know if it’s the whole bondmate thing, but I can’t imagine my life without all of you in it. It physically hurt being away from y’all.”

I laid a hand gently on hers and leaned in to kiss her, “We missed you, too. It’s not the same without having any of you near. Feels like a part of me is missing, like a limb.”

She chuckled, “Same. Come on, let’s head on up and check on her.”

I nodded and we headed up to the suite. We didn’t have to go very far into the rooms, we could hear her weeping. I sighed and sat on the couch and Scarlett joined me, pulling me to her. We just sat there, quietly listening and I was glad that I wasn’t alone. When we finally heard her stop, we waited for awhile longer and then got up and joined her. We snuggled as close to her as we could get and fell asleep, I hoped that she felt us and drew comfort from it.

I woke up and found a gap between me and Scarlett. I sat up in panic, but relaxed as I heard the shower going. I scooted over to Scarlett and half asleep, she curled an arm around my waist and I felt my eyes droop heavily again.

When I woke up for real this time, I took my own shower and then went out to the sitting room. Nyx was out there with Seph and Cora, quietly going over reports. I went over to the side table where there was a carafe of coffee and cups. I made myself a cup and then leaned over the couch Nyx was on and kissed her on the head. She looked up and smiled, the sadness was still there, but it was in the background.

“Morning, sweetheart,” she said.

“Morning, feeling better,” I asked and moved around to sit on an armchair, since Seph and Cora were sitting on either side of her.

“I am, thank you. I’m sorry for taking off like that last night. I just needed some time to myself.”

I shook my head and replied, “You’ve got no reason to be sorry, love. We both understood.”

“I spoke with Raven this morning,” she said.

“Oh,” I replied. “Good news, I hope.”

“It was. They had a little bit of a hard time to get the shield and ward to meld, but when they did, it worked exactly like we wanted. As soon as I get those things, we’ll be able to seal the territory.”

“How soon do you think that’ll be,” Seph asked, looking at her.

She took a sip of coffee and replied, “I’m hoping to do it tomorrow. The drones are quick, but are still thorough. Lincoln’s also told me that they found the evidence that I’m looking for and the spec team will be arriving tomorrow with the information.”

“That’s good,” I said. “Are you hoping to find anything useful?”

“I’m hoping, but not expecting it. Like I said yesterday, a lot of it can be claimed to be fabricated. My only real hope is to present them with enough of it that they’ll be more wary in trying to extract anymore information out of our territory, but then again, once the shield and ward are in place, they won’t be able to.”

“What is it you guys are working on now,” I asked curiously.

“Um, Lincoln’s updated guard postings, infractions list, food stores, and a request by our Council to have a formal dinner between Councils,” Seph said, wrinkling her nose at the request.

“A formal dinner?”

She sighed and said, “Yeah. It’s supposed to be like a ‘getting to know you’ and ‘we’re all in this together’ kind of deal, but honestly they want to take measure of your council. It’s a political dinner and what sucks is that I’m the one that has to coordinate everything from the meal to sitting to security, and on and on. I have absolutely no idea how to do that.”

“Which is why I told you,” Nyx said, pulling her into a headlock and rubbing her head with her knuckles, “that I would walk the both of you through this.”

Seph extricated herself and growled at Nyx, but she only laughed.

“I hate it when you do that,” she replied indignantly.

“Oh, come on. This is the first time I’ve done it in ages, squirt. You can’t play that card anymore.”

Seph glared at her even harder and I chuckled softly.

“Hey,” I said, “What’s an infractions list?”

That brightened Seph’s mood immediately as she replied, “When a guard member gets in trouble or fails an inspection, it’s reported. Usually, punishments are made right then and there, but the more severe charges are brought to Lincoln. He then decides if it needs to come to me or if he can handle it himself. The report that we have here are the ones that are too serious for him to handle.”

“Like what?”

“Illegal drugs, gambling, alcohol abuse, physical altercations, physical abuse, rape or molestation,” she said, thinking off the top of her head. “The really severe cases come to the Second.”

“I wouldn’t think that rape or molestation would be a problem with the pack,” I said surprised.

“It’s not among pack members, Clarke,” Nyx said. “It’s against the humans who do the drudge work in the barracks and mess. When the first squads arrived here, I set rules down to prevent things like that from happening and cracked down on them hard. When Indra and Dani took over for me, they did the same thing. Even the physical abuse. The punishments are severe if they’re caught. Demotion, monetary compensation to the victim, paying for any kind of medical, quarter pay, jail time. If a human woman becomes pregnant after they’re raped, the one who did it has to support both the mother and child until its matured with half their salary. There’s more, but you get the gist of it.”

“You’re doing all of that for the humans,” I asked, not really believing what she was telling me.

She dug through the papers and pulled out a sheet and handed it to me. I looked down and read through it. It was signed by both Nyx and Lexa. It was a law.

“Wait,” I said, holding this up, “This is a law.”

She nodded, “It is. We’re trying to end the abuse of humans in our territory. This is a big step for us and completely unheard of. There might be similar laws in other territories or along the East Coast, but I’m not aware of them.”

“Why would you do something like this?”

“For the simple fact,” Cora said quietly, “that they listened to you and your council. With the footage from the six humans, it finally occurred to us, that maybe what was going on wasn’t exactly right.”

I looked at Nyx for confirmation and she nodded and smiled.

“We thought we’d give it a try and help the humans,” she said. “We’re testing it out here before we implement it territory wide.”

“Wow,” was the only word that came to my mind.

Nyx blushed and ducked her head then began stacking the paperwork into a neat pile. Without saying a word, Seph grabbed the pile and left with Cora in tow. I set my cup on the table and walked over to her, straddling her lap. She looked at me with surprise and I leaned down to kiss her. Her hands immediately going to my hips and I leaned into her more.

“What was that for,” she asked looking up at me and brushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

“For doing something like that,” I said, smiling. “I couldn’t imagine you guys implementing a law like this until after the human problem was solved.”

“Clarke, your people are very important to you. All of them,” she replied softly. “So, they’ve become important to us. Just because we haven’t figured out what to do with the 100+ here, doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t help the ones that are here already. You remember how I reacted when I watched those first 48 hours of footage from their cams. It struck a cord. Same with Lexa. We finally saw what we did from a human standpoint and we didn’t like it.”

“So, you still don’t like humans, but you believe that they should have more protection?”

“Mm-hm. We remember our history. The slavery. Civil Rights. Equal Rights. Right now we can only offer them slavery, but that doesn’t mean we have to treat them like chattel.”

“Who are you,” I whispered as I searched her face for clues.

“Your bondmate who is trying very hard to be as opened minded as you,” she replied simply.

I smiled, “God, I love you, Nyx Allistar.”

“I love you, too. You really do make me want to be a better person. Just like everyone in my life. I want to be better for you all.”

“You are something else, Nyx Allistar,” I whispered and captured her mouth with mine.

 

Nyx and I were still in the sitting room when there was a knock on the door.

“ _Min op_ ,” Nyx called out and I looked at her in confusion as to what she’d just said.

Both doors opened wide and a few men rolled in a large vidscreen and set it on the coffee table, setting it up. Another two walked pushing a cart full of packages.

We looked at one another in confusion and Nyx asked, “What’s all this?”

“Apologies, _Pakstoka_ , Chancellor,” one of them said. “There are several people that wish to speak with you, your bondmates, Persephone, and Cora. May I call them here?”

She nodded and asked, “The packages?”

“Winter solstice gifts.”

“From whom?”

“I do not know.”

She sighed and said, “ _Mochof_.”

They inclined their heads and left the room, closing the doors behind them. Nyx got up and walked over to the cart and started to pull out the packages and separating them into piles. There were a lot of them, but each pile had three each.

“Nyx, what were those words that you spoke just now,” I asked. “I didn’t recognize them.

She looked over at me and smiled, “I wouldn’t expect you to, Clarke. Native language. The longer I’m _de Pakstoka_ makes me feel an urge to use it more. _Min op_ means ‘enter’ and _Mochof_ means ‘thank you.’”

“How come I don’t hear it used more frequently?”

“We really only use it when we need to keep people from understanding what we’re talking about. No one outside our territory knows it, though a few have made it into the common language. You’ll mostly hear it in passing,” she replied and then picking up one pile, she came back to the couch and handed it to me. “These are apparently for you.”

“Who would want to give me presents,” I asked, my eyes narrowing in confusion. “I don’t know anybody outside of you guys.”

She shrugged and replied, “Don’t know, but there’s packages for the five of us, Seph, and Cora.”

There was a knock and the door opened to admit Scarlett, Seph, and Cora. Seph immediately saw the packages and went straight for them, making Nyx chuckle.

“Ooh, presents,” she said gleefully. “Hey, Cora, you’ve got some, too.”

“I do,” she replied, surprised. “Who would give me presents?”

“Dunno,” Sephy replied. “Those three right there are yours,” turning to look over at Nyx and asked, “Why are we here?”

Nyx shrugged, “No clue. Apparently, someone wants to talk with us and gave us Winter solstice gifts.”

The vidscreen came to life with a call coming through. Nyx leaned over and touched the answer button. It flared to life and there was a beautiful woman on the screen. The woman looked shocked, a small smile on her lips, and I looked over at Nyx who was equally stunned.

“Mom,” Nyx said quietly like she was afraid to spook her.

The woman’s smile widened and I could see tears glistening in her eyes as she replied, “Oh, Nyx, baby, it so wonderful to see you again.”

“Oh, god, Mom,” she said, her voice thick with emotion, “you have no idea how good it is to see you. I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you, too.”

Seph came quickly over to us and sitting next to Nyx, said, “Hey, Mom.”

Their mom’s eyes shifted to Seph and she said, “Hi, Seph. Are you behaving yourself?”

She scoffed, “Of course I am. I’ve been on my best behavior the whole time I’ve been here.”

Nyx snorted and said, “Ma don’t believe a word she says. She gets into trouble just like the rest of us.”

Seph pushed Nyx into me, making me laugh which drew her eyes to me. I stopped and blushed, looking down from her curious eyes.

“Who’s this breathtaking woman, Nyx?”

Nyx chuckled, “Mom, I’d like to introduce you to Clarke. Lexa’s lifemate and one of my bondmates.”

I looked up and saw her beaming at me and she said, “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Clarke. Seph’s told me a lot about you.”

I looked at her in surprise and said, “She has?”

The woman chuckled and replied, “She has. From what she’s told me, you have been very good for Nyx and I thank you for that.”

“Your welcome.”

“Nyx, where’s your other one?”

Nyx looked around and seeing Scarlett, motioned her over. Scarlett stood behind the couch and said, “It’s nice to make your acquaintance, Ms. Allistar. I’m Scarlett.”

I saw Nyx’s mother’s eyes roam up and down Scarlett as she looked at her approvingly.

Nyx saw that look and said, “Don’t, Mom. I remember that look.”

She looked surprise and replied, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Nyx.”

“Oh, please, Mom. That’s the same look you used to give Dani. And we know what happened there.”

“Nothing happened there,” she replied with a smirk.

“That’s not what Dani said.”

“Oh, please. Dani was drunker than a ‘coon on pure ‘shine that night.”

“Mom,” she said indignantly, “I saw you stalking her.”

“You have no proof, girlie. If it ain’t on video, it didn’t happen.”

Nyx buried her head in her hands and she said, “Whatever, Ma. Keep your hands off my women.”

Scarlett and I looked at each other stunned.

“If you haven’t claimed them, they are not your women,” she retorted. 

“Ma, they’re my bondmates. Show some restraint please or you’ll never meet them in person.”

She sighed dramatically, making me smile, and said, “Fine. When did you become a stick in the mud?”

“Seriously, Ma?!”

“Hey, Mom,” Seph interjected before the conversation could turn into an argument. “Don’t you want to meet Cora, too?”

“Of course I want to meet my new daughter.”

Cora walked shyly and stood by Scarlett, who wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Nyx’s mom’s face warmed up completely and she said, “Welcome to the family, Cora. It’s wonderful to meet you.”

“Th-thank you,” Cora replied, shyly.

“Are they taking care of you?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Call me Mom, please.”

“Really?!”

She chuckled and replied, “Really, Cora. You’re a part of our family. My daughter. What else would you call me? Unless, you’re uncomfortable with that?”

“No,” she said, “I’m still getting used to this, it’s a little unbelievable still to think I have sisters and parents again.”

“I understand, sweetie. It really is good to meet you, though.”

“Thank you.”

“Okay,” Seph said, “Now that we’ve got over the introductions. Mom, you got us solstice gifts?”

Her eyes sparkled, “I did, but they’re not just from me. The Devereuxs and Rendons both sent you gifts as well.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“No, in fact they should be arriving shortly. They don’t want you to open the gifts until they get here. Seph, why don’t you hand them out?”

“Yes, Mom,” she said and got up.

I already had mine sitting at my feet, but I was insanely curious as to why they would give all of us gifts.

“You’re part of our family, Clarke,” the woman said, making me look up at her startled.

“How…,” I said.

“Did she know what you were thinking,” Nyx said, giving me a hug. “Mom’s telepathy is stronger than average. You were leaking your thoughts.”

I blushed, “Oh,” and I looked up at the woman, “You consider me part of your family?”

“I do. We do,” she said, correcting herself. “The bonds make you automatically family. You, Scarlett, and Cora now have a huge family. Probably not something any of you ever expected.”

“I definitely did not expect it,” Scarlett said. “I didn’t even know bonds existed.”

“That’s right,” she said. “You’re _Sofstepa_.”

“Yes, ma’am,” she said, but then corrected her self when she glared at her, “Simone.”

“So, Seph says you’re a healer?”

“Yes. I have a clinic in Old Towne. My patients are usually humans, but right now I’m helping with the survivors of the bombing and making sure Lexa and Dani are healing properly.”

Her face darkened and I saw worry and sadness in her eyes, “How are they?”

“They should be waking up any day now. Thanks to Nyx, they should make a full recovery.”

“Should?”

“Their bodies are completely healed. Everything works like it’s supposed to. It’s their brain functions that we’re worried about.”

She nodded, “So, it’s possible that they may have incurred some brain damage?”

“Yes, but we won’t know until they wake up.”

“We’re glad that the two of you are helping them. I got a feeling that they’ll come out of this fully intact.”

“Knock, knock,” a woman’s voice called out from her end.

She looked up at someone behind her screen and she grinned, “It’s about damn time, woman. You know how I hate small talk.”

“Pfft, whatever, Simone,” the woman replied as she came into view and bent down to hug her. “Samual insisted on stopping by that bakery of yours.”

She looked up at the man who was coming into view, “Really, Sammy. You couldn’t have waited?”

His teeth gleamed white through his beard as he replied, “There was no way that I was going to miss out on Mama Jo’s macarons, especially the rosé and strawberry ones.”

“I always preferred her chocolate banana crepes, myself,” Nyx said.

He looked over at the screen and once more those teeth shone through the beard, “Nyx, sweetheart, it’s so good to see you. The house hasn’t been the same without you there to terrorize us.”

Nyx laughed, “Sam, it was over twenty years ago. When will you let it go?”

“Nyx, you cost me twenty casks of my five year olds,” he replied sternly.

“Well,” she huffed. “You shouldn’t have stacked them like that right underneath the loft entrance.”

“Do you know how much I had to pay him to cover your mess,” her mom said scowling.

“Have no clue. Do you want me to pay you back?”

“No, I don’t want you to pay me back. I taught you better.”

“Yeah, well.”

“Harrumph.”

“God, you haven’t changed a bit,” the other woman replied.

“I blame Dani for that.”

“You would,” she chuckled.

“Well, it was her fault anyway. She dared me to do it.”

“That’s no excuse.”

I heard Nyx sigh and replied, “You’re right, Becca. Looking back, it was a colossal bad on my part.”

“Well, aren’t you going to introduce us, Nyx, or leave everyone one in the dark?”

“Sorry,” she replied, “Becca, Sam, I’d like you to meet Clarke, Scarlett and Cora.”

“Guys, Becca is Lexa’s mom and Sam is Dani’s dad.”

“Can we open the presents now,” Seph whined earning a chuckle from their parents.

“Fine,” her mom replied, “You can open the presents.”

Seph squealed in delight and tore into hers. The rest of us opened ours with a bit more decorum. I wandered what they’d given me. The first present was from Dani’s dad. It was a bottle of wine that read, Clarke’s Specialty, with instructions not to open for ten years. I looked up at him and I could see him grin at me. I quickly ducked down and opened up the second. It was from Nyx’s mom. Inside was a beautiful sapphire and ruby pendant in a yin and yang style. The chain was interspersed with diamonds, sapphires, rubies, yellow gems that looked like a cat’s eye, and nearly white gems that when turned a certain way gave off a different shade of blue. I didn’t dare look up at her or I thought I might cry. I laid it reverently in the box and opened up the one that was probably the most important one, Lexa’s mom’s gift. Inside, was a a supple leather bound book. I opened the cover, it was a first edition copy of Chaucer’s _Canterbury Tales_. 

I looked up and her mom had a soft look on her face and said, “It’s Lexa’s favorite book. She’s probably read it hundreds of times.”

“It’s wonderful, thank you,” I said, overwhelmed. “All of your gifts are beyond words. Thank you.”

“You are very welcome, Clarke.”

“Mom,” Nyx said, her voice barely a whisper.

I looked over at Nyx and in her lap was a large and narrow box that held a pair of beautifully made swords, katanas.

“I thought you’d like them back,” she replied, voice trembling.

“You kept them,” she said and I could see the tears falling from her face.

Impulsively, I leaned over and hugged her tight.

“Sweetie, why would I get rid of them? They were your most prized possession. Look underneath them.”

She lifted them out of the box and laid them on the coffee table reverently and then looked at what was underneath them. It was another pair of matching swords, but they were different, meant to be used instead of on display. They were still beautiful, but in a far deadlier way.

“Since I know you prefer fighting with swords, I figured a pair of good twin blades would do,” her mom said.

A wide grin appeared on Nyx’s face and she replied, “These are perfect.” She lifted one out and held it on one finger down it’s middle. It lay straight. “Perfectly balanced.”

“And sharpened enough to split a book in half, cover to cover.”

“Thank you so much. All of you.”

I looked over at Nyx’s other gifts. One box held a pair of rather large handguns with beautifully engraved grips and the other held a pair of leather arm braces.

“These gifts are perfect,” Scarlett said, beaming. “Thank you.”

“Yes, thank you,” Cora said, with tears streaming. “I’ve never gotten gifts like these before.”

“Since you’re Nyx’s chosen successor, we felt that you should have the appropriate tools. Each one signifies the most important duties that you have to perform. A weapon, because you’re meant to protect de Pakstoka, a book of our laws, and Nyx’s personal notes on her duties and what she thought was the best way to perform them. All invaluable,” her mom said.

Seph looked over at Cora’s gifts and snatched one of the boxes and looked at them with shock and said, “Is this an HK45?”

“It is,” Samual said.

“Why does Cora get the better weapon,” she whined. “You only got me an M9A1.”

He looked at her sternly and said, “They are both superior tactical handguns, Persephone. Cora needs a heavier caliber weapon because of her future duties. You’re going to replace your mother as the South Pack’s Second. You don’t need such a show stopper.”

She sighed heavily and then looked over at Nyx’s guns and said, “Is that why you got Nyx a pair of MRBFRs?”

“Yes.”

“God dammit,” she pouted.

“Persephone,” her mother said sharply.

“Sorry.”

“Look, girls,” Becca said, “We want you to know how proud we are of each of you. We know that right now is extremely hard, but we have faith in you. Between all of you, we know that you’ll get the pack through this. It’s difficult, it’s trying, it’s exhausting, and it’s taking all that you have. As much as we’d willingly trade places with you, we can’t. This is your fight, not ours.”

Before she could continue, Nyx screamed in pain and doubled over.

“Nyx, are you okay,” I asked, frightened.

She shook her head and said through gritted teeth, “No. I feel like I’m being torn apart in three different directions.”

“Nyx, are you still holding onto the unified power,” Becca said, extremely worried.

“Yeah.”

“You know that you can only hold onto it for so long, Nyx. Why haven’t you done that?”

“I thought it was because I received it and released my powers back at the same time. That everything was still settling,” she whispered.

“Seph, Cora, help Nyx into the bedroom. The transfer has to be done now,” she commanded.

“Yes, ma’am,” the both said and helped lift Nyx off the couch and practically had to carry her between them to the bedroom.

“What’s happening,” I asked worriedly.

“Each _Pakstoka_ and Second carry half of the power necessary to lead a pack,” Becca explained. “It’s too powerful for only one person to hold onto. For _de Pakstoka_ and her Second, the power of leadership is 10x more powerful. If something happens to one of them, the other receives the entirety of it and can only handle it for so long, a day or two at most, before it has to be split again. If Nyx wasn’t so worried about everything, she would have remembered that and done the transfer. I’m surprised she’s lasted this long.”

“Why did it hit her so hard now,” Scarlett asked as she joined me on the couch.

“You know how she described it as if it was like she was being torn in three different directions,” she asked and we nodded. “It’s because of Cora’s proximity and the fact that even though Simone and I aren’t there physically, the power still recognizes us as past holders.”

“So, it was trying to balance itself,” I said.

“Yes, exactly.”

“Are they going to be okay?”

“They will be once it settles down in them.”

There was a short scream and a grunt of pain from the bedroom and I snapped my head around to look at the door.

“Cora’s taken on the Second’s power. It’s painful if you’re not expecting it or trained in how to handle the transfer.”

“Holy shit,” Scarlett said to herself. “I am so glad that I never have to go through that.”

Samual chuckled, “It’s a life changer, that’s for sure. Our girls took it like a champ when it was transferred to them.”

“That’s only because they were trained since they could talk,” Simone scoffed. “Poor Cora. Clarke, could you put on my present, please? I’d like to see how it looks around your neck.”

“Of course,” I said surprised. “Scarlett, can you help me put it on?”

“Of course, darlin’,” she replied and reached for the box and pulled the necklace out. “This is absolutely stunning, Simone. I’m jealous.”

Simone chuckled, “I’ll remember that for next time, Scarlett.”

Scarlett reached around my neck and unclasped it as I lifted my hair. When she was done and I let my hair down, I settled it better. It hung low, the pendent just cresting the top of my breasts. I heard a collective gasp and I looked up.

“Oh, Simone, you outdid yourself this time,” Becca said, tears in her eye.

“Thank you,” she replied. “Go check it out for yourself, sweetie.”

I nodded and headed to the closet mirror. I stood there stunned as I watched as the stones sparkled in the light almost as if they were alive. The pendent seemed to shine the brightest and it seemed to glow. I reached up and touched and found it warm.

“It’s stunning,” Scarlett said as I walked back over to the couch and sat. “It’s almost as if you were born with it.”

“I don’t have words, Simone,” I said, breathless. “Thank you so much.”

“It’s my pleasure. Think of it as a thank you gift for bringing my daughter home.”

“I didn’t really do anything,” I said blushing.

“Clarke,” Samual said, “You brought our girls back together. We are truly in your debt.”

The bedroom door opened up and I turned to watch them come out. Cora was pale and shaking, Seph was helping her, Nyx emerged and stopped short. I watched as she slowly walked over, her eyes not leaving me.

“Mom, it’s perfect,” she said when she came up to the couch.

“Thank you, honey. How are you feeling?”

“Normal,” she said with a grin.

“And you, Cora?”

“Like I’m wearing a very heavy cloak that I’m trying to get used to,” she said as she leaned against Seph. “So, it’s painful and uncomfortable.”

“It’ll go away in a few hours. I’d suggest you take a nap, by the time you wake up, you’ll hardly notice it. It’ll feel like a second skin. Just remember you’ve got to keep it wrapped up fairly tight or you’ll knock people to their knees.”

She chuckled and said, “I’ve already experienced that thanks to Nyx.”

“What happened, Nyx?”

“Lexa and Nyx got into a pissing contest,” Scarlett said. “Everyone in the compound was affected.”

“Nyx Allistar are you out of your ever loving mind,” Simone snapped. “You know better than that.”

Nyx hung her head, “I know that, Ma. She just pissed me off.”

“Over what?”

“Nyx wanted to test exactly how powerful she was and Lexa gave her permission to do it,” I replied. “She took exception to it.”

“Mom, Nyx threatened to leave if Lexa didn’t back off and stop treating her like she was fragile. It was soon after she had recovered,” Seph explained.

“Seriously?!”

“I’m sorry, Ma,” Nyx said. “I wasn’t thinking.”

“You cannot leave this pack again, Nyx Allistar.”

“Alright,” she said, sighing. “I’ll stay.”

Simone, Becca, and Samual seemed to deflate with relief at hearing her say that.

Sephy let go of Cora, who nearly fell over before she caught herself, and tackled Nyx to the ground. Nyx laughed and I could hear Seph crying. Even I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I hadn’t realized how important it was to me to have Nyx stay.

“Come on, Seph,” Nyx said. “I promise you, I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying.”

Sephy sniffled as she got off of Nyx and stood up, “You have no idea how much I wished and prayed for this to happen.”

Nyx got up with a groan and replied, “I got a pretty good idea when you yelled at me for threatening to leave. I’m sorry that I ever uttered those words. It’s been stressful.” 

“I know that, it’s just, I’ve missed you so much,” she said, hugging her tightly. “I didn’t realize how much until I saw you again.”

“I know, sweetheart,” she replied, kissing her on the head. “Trust me, I felt the same way seeing you. I had to match the eight year old little girl I remembered to the 16 year old woman I saw.”

I felt tears prick my eyes as I felt the love surge in the room. I looked over at Scarlett and saw that she was just as much affected by this as I was. Cora looked on stunned, but I saw a smile on her lips.

“Nyx, Seph, don’t you have work to do,” Simone asked.

They looked at her and Nyx replied, “Actually, no. We got the reports already done. We’re just killing time while I wait for Lincoln’s spec op team to return with the traitor’s information and the maps and photos I need to seal off the territory. I should get both of those by the end of today or sometime tomorrow.”

“When will you seal us off?”

“I plan on doing it tomorrow. The sooner I can get it done the better. I’m not leaving any chance of letting them in here.”

“That’s my girl,” she said with pride. “Well, I guess we’ll let you go, then. You seem to have everything well in control.”

“Thank you for everything, guys. You’ve made this day a lot better than I was expecting. I needed this. We all did.”

“Your welcome, sweetheart, and I gotta admit you definitely attract the most beautiful women.”

Nyx groaned, “Mom, don’t even go there. Don’t touch my women. Don’t even look at them like that, Mom. You neither, Becca. You two are horrible.”

They laughed as I blushed and they let us go.

“Goodness,” Scarlett said as she fanned herself. “They are something else.”

“No kidding,” she groaned. “I’ve had to beat them off with a stick just to get them to lay off chasing me and Dani.” 

“Well, I never thought I’d be attracted to a man in a beard, but Dani’s dad is absolutely gorgeous.”

Nyx sat up and glared at Scarlett, “The same goes for you too, Missy. Hands off.”

“Oh, come on, Nyx. Give a girl some fun.”

“Nope, na-uh. No way. That’s just…,” Nyx said shuddering. “No.”

Scarlett pouted, but relented. I laughed and was glad that I hadn’t felt that way towards any of them. I leaned back and absently stroked my necklace. Seph and Cora gathered up their gifts and said their goodbyes.

“Nyx, hun,” Scarlett said. “That necklace is stunning. I recognize three of the stones, but what are the other two?”

Nyx leaned closer and gently lifted it off my chest, making me shiver at the contact, and said, “The one that looks like a cat’s eye is chrysoberyl cat’s eye and the other one is a rainbow moonstone. Each stone represents us and our powers. The sapphire represents Clarke, because of her eyes. The ruby is Lexa. The diamond is me, cat’s eye is you, and the moonstone is Dani.”

She laid it back down and adjusted it until it lay perfectly and she leaned down and kissed the spot right below the pendant. I gasped as I felt the warmth of her breath mingle with the warmth of the pendent and closed my eyes and leaned back.

I opened my eyes when I heard her chuckle and I could swear that her eyes had gotten darker.

“Don’t ever take this off, _niron_ ,” she said softly.

“I won’t,” I replied, my breath caught in my throat.

I couldn’t take my eyes off hers and I felt myself drowning in them. Scarlett coughed politely and our attention turned to her. She leaned over and kissed Nyx and I watched as I felt a wave of desire build. I got up and gently tugged their hands and pulled them back to the bedroom. It was a long while before we left the room again.

 

When I woke up, Nyx and Scarlett had already left, so I took the opportunity to stretch out completely and appreciate how relaxed my body felt. My stomach grumbled making me sigh, so I got up and dressed. Heading down to the kitchen, I found Seph, Cora, Nate, and Octavia sitting around the table eating lunch. Heading straight to the fridge, I made a sandwich and poured me a large glass of water and joined them.

Octavia looked up and gasped as she saw me and said, “Oh, My, God, Clarke. That is bar none the most beautiful necklace I’ve ever seen.”

Nate looked up and let out a long whistle in appreciation, “It looks absolutely gorgeous on you.”

“Thanks,” I said, blushing. “Nyx’s mom, Simone, got it for me.”

“She didn’t get it for you, Clarke,” Seph corrected me. “She made it for you. Mom’s an earth mage and she has a real talent creating gemstones and precious metals.”

I looked at her in stunned disbelief and said, “She created this specifically for me?”

“Yeah, one of a kind. You’ll never see anything like that.”

“Damn,” Octavia said. “Your mom makes jewelry?”

“Mm-hm,” she replied. “She paints portraits and makes custom jewelry.”

“That’s right,” I said after I swallowed a bite of my sandwich. “Your family are all artists.”

“Yeah. I still can’t believe that Samual created a bottle of wine just for you.”

“He did and I can’t open it for ten years.”

“It’s got to age,” she said, matter of factly. “And you better let it, too.”

“What was the book, Becca gave you, Clarke,” Cora asked curiously.

“A first edition copy of Chaucer’s _Canterbury Tales_. Lexa’s favorite book.”

“Holy shit,” Seph proclaimed. “She actually gave you that. She never gives out one of her books.”

Confused, I asked, “What do you mean?”

“Clarke, Becca has been collecting rare first editions since she was little. She has a library specifically for them. We aren’t even allowed in the room.”

“So, Clarke gets a special wine, a custom necklace, and a rare first edition book that never leaves a library,” Octavia said. “Damn.”

“Wow,” Nate said, “What did the two of you get?”

“Let’s see,” Seph said. “I got a semi-auto pistol from Dani’s dad, Sam. A pair of leather chaps for when I get to ride my horse from Lexa’s mom, Becca, and permission and money to get my first tattoo from mom.”

“Wait, a tattoo,” I said in disbelief.

“Oh, yeah,” she replied with a grin. “I’ve been begging for one all year. I know that you couldn’t see it, but mom’s got like 15 tattoos on her. It’s like a family tradition now.”

“Unbelievable,” I said shaking my head and smiling.

“And how about you Cora,” Octavia asked. 

“A pistol from Sam, a book of our laws, and Nyx’s personal notes from when she was training to become Second,” she replied, quietly. “It’s like they knew what I wanted and needed. Then of course, Nyx had to transfer the Second’s power. That was very painful.”

“She transferred her power to you,” Nate asked.

“Yeah,” she replied. “It’s how a Second becomes the Second. Same thing goes for the _Pakstoka_. When you decide to retire or goddess forbid something like dying, the power is transferred to the next one in line. In Nyx’s case, when Lexa nearly died, the _de Pakstoka_ power went to her because Lexa doesn’t have a successor. Nyx was supposed to transfer the Second’s power to me, but hadn’t had a chance to do it until now.”

“Yeah, when she freaking doubled over in excruciating pain,” Sephy scoffed. “Of course, she waited until the last minute.”

Cora pushed her and replied, “Give her some slack, Seph. She’s been busy and too worried to even think about this.”

“You’re right. Sorry.”

Cora grinned and said, “Better.”

“Why would it be painful,” Nate asked.

“The leadership power,” Seph explained, “is supposed to be split between two people because it’s just too much for one person to hold onto. It maintains a balance, so no one gets overwhelmed. It’s also set up that way so that if anything happens to one or the other, someone’s still able to lead. Kind of like a fail safe, I guess.”

“It’s only painful if you don’t have training to ease you into the transition or if it’s sudden, like what happened with Nyx,” Cora said. “If someone has both halves of the power, it becomes extremely painful until one of the halves is transferred to the rightful successor or a previous one.”

As they talked, a sound caught my ear and I tuned them out to hear it better. It sounded like hard and fast music, like an old rock song. I couldn’t hear it clearly, but it sounded like it was coming from the training room.

“Hey, Seph,” I said, getting her attention, “You’ve got the better hearing; is that music I’m hearing?”

“Huh,” she said.

“Listen,” I said, pointing to my ear.

She nodded and closed her eyes to concentrate better. Suddenly, they popped open and she grinned wide.

“I haven’t heard this song since I was seven,” she said. “Wait. Oh my god, we gotta go!”

“What,” I asked her, completely confused.

“If I’m remembering correctly, Nyx likes to listen to this song before she starts sparring. Come on,” she said and grabbed my hand and hauled me after her.

The others scrambled after us and we quickly ran down the steps to the training room. When we got to the room, the music was blaring and my eyes were drawn to the middle of the room by light being reflected by something moving quickly. Nyx was standing in the middle and she was working through moves that were both deadly and beautiful to watch. It was mesmerizing.

Seph tugged my arm and I was being dragged to the side where benches were laid out for people to watch. I was immediately reminded of when Seph and Nyx had sparred and I became a little fearful. I sat down numbly and watched as she moved faster and faster, becoming a blur of motion. Listening to the music and watching her move, it became a deadly dance and I just could not take my eyes from her. No one said anything, they were just as entranced as I was. As the song ended, she began to slow down until she finally stopped, blades downward and at her side. Her chest was heaving and her skin glistened with sweat as she just simply stood there, unmoving. 

The volume turned down suddenly and my head snapped in that direction, but I saw no one there. Sometimes her telekinesis still freaked me out. Her eyes focused on us and she grinned, walking over to us. Seph tossed her a towel as she came closer. She switched one sword to the other and wiped her face and neck off.

Nyx chuckled, “You remembered.”

“How could I not,” Seph said, excitedly, “When ever I would hear it play, I always knew that you would be practicing your swordsmanship. Have you kept up this entire time?”

She sat on the bench next to her, stretching her legs out, and replied, “More or less. What’s hurting me is the month and a half without working out. I’m slower.”

“That was not slow,” Octavia said.

Nyx laughed, “Maybe not to you, O, but I could tell.”

“How much slower,” Seph asked.

Nyx scrunched her face in displeasure and replied, “Nearly a whole second.”

“Seriously,” Cora asked. “You consider a second slow?”

“Oh, definitely,” she said with certainty. “Sometimes that all it takes between losing your life or not. We’re fighters, Cora. We can’t afford to be anything other than our best. Strong, fast, agile, and intuitive.”

“ _Pakstoka_ , are you ready,” someone said from the doorway and I turned to see who it was, Lincoln.

“Yeah, just let me loosen up a minute,” she replied and got up and started stretching.

Octavia got up and walked over to him. He wrapped an arm around her waist and nearly bent in half just to kiss her.

“You’re going to spar with her,” Octavia asked as they came over.

“Yes, she asked me,” he replied.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Octavia,” Nyx said as she straightened. “Linc and I are good. Neither of us have any residual manipulations. If we did, he wouldn’t be my Head of Security. He and I used to work real well before. I trained him myself.”

He smiled down at her and said, “Don’t worry, O, I can handle myself against her. Both of us know how not to hurt each other too bad.”

Nyx grinned wickedly and said, “Whenever you’re ready, Linc.”

He grinned wide at her and said, “Remember the bet, Nyx. I draw first blood, you make me a new sword.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know,” she called over her shoulder as she walked to the middle of the room. “Ya coming?”

He gave Octavia one last kiss and went to stand opposite Nyx. They bowed to one another and took a guard position. The music turned up and as if that was a signal, Lincoln attacked. Nyx easily countered, but he moved out of the way. She immediately attacked him and Lincoln blocked. As they got more comfortable with each other, their movements picked up speed and it soon looked like it was becoming serious. I gasped when Lincoln sliced his sword like he was going to slice her head off, but she leaned back and the sword cut the air barely above her face. She turned the backward movement into a back flip and kicked him in the chest. He flew back and would have landed on his back if he hadn’t turned it into a roll that ended with him back on his feet. They grinned at one another and she beckoned him with a head jerk. He charged at her and at the last minute quickstepped to the left and then lunged right. She barely got out of the way, but she winced.

“Yeah, baby,” Octavia cheered. “First blood!”

Nyx stepped back and inspected herself and her tank was sliced open over her stomach. She stuck her fingers in the tear and held up two of her fingers, showing that he had indeed drawn first blood. She shook her head at him and both of them, grinning, took up a guard stance again. Nyx attacked first this time and I saw that she was changing the way she fought him. It was quicker and she moved around more. There was as much feet and hands as there was sword clashes. I heard him growl and he redoubled his efforts. He became fiercer and she still out matched him move for move. The fight seemed to go on forever, neither one of them willing to give up. It looked like Nyx was starting to land more hits, but he didn’t quit. For every hit on her, Lincoln had ten. 

There was movement out of the corner of my eye and I turned to look at the door. Raven had come in and she was staring at the fight, unmoving except for her eyes. I nudged Seph and she looked over at Raven and nodded. She looked at the fight and I saw Nyx nod her head once. She did something quickly and Lincoln landed on his back with her sword at his throat. He tapped out and she stepped back to let him up. He sat up and I could see that his chest and arms were riddled with shallow cuts that looked like the blood was already clotting. Nyx held down a hand, he took it and she hauled him up. They had a quick exchange of quiet words and then they were walking back over to us. Octavia got up and brought him a towel, inspected his cuts. Nyx picked up hers and wiped herself down before she turned to Raven. Raven still stood there not moving, her eyes focusing on Nyx with a strange look on her face. Nyx glanced at me and I could only shrug at her behavior.

“Rae, you okay,” Nyx called over to her.

That seemed to shake her out of wherever she had been and walked over to us. She had a folder in her hand.

“The drones are done, Nyx,” she said, somewhat stiffly.

Nyx quirked an eyebrow at her tone, but said, “Are those the photos?”

She nodded and handed them to her. Nyx sat down next to me and started looking them over. I glanced over and I was surprised by the clarity of the images. They seemed to be taken high off the ground and you could still make out every tree, scrub, rock, and stream. Ben’s cameras were powerful.

Nyx looked up at Raven and said, “These are perfect, Rae. Y’all even numbered them for me. Thank you.” 

“Yeah, sure,” she said, not meeting her eyes.

I narrowed my eyes at her and noticed that her breathing was shallower than normal. I got up and pulled her off to the side, startling her.

When we were safely out of earshot, I asked her quietly, “You okay, Raven?”

“Huh,” she said, taking her eyes off of Nyx and looking at me.

“You haven’t stopped staring at Nyx,” I said growing curious. “What’s going on?”

“Um, nothing,” she lied.

“That’s a lie. How about the truth this time?”

“She’s amazing,” she replied softly in a tone that I’d never heard before.

“She is.”

“I just couldn’t stop watching her. I’ve never seen someone move so quickly.”

“And you probably never will,” I said with a chuckle. “But it’s something more than that, isn’t it?”

She blushed and replied, “I don’t know.”

“Are you attracted to her,” I asked curiously.

“What?! No,” she said quickly. “No way am I’m attracted to her.”

I shrugged, “You wouldn’t be the first one, Rae. I’ve seen how the women of the guard look at her when she walks through the camp.”

Raven’s eyes traveled back to her and she said, “What the hell?”

I turned to look at what she was talking about and I saw Nyx floating over the pictures that she had laid out on the middle of the floor.

I walked back over and called out, “Nyx?”

She looked over and with a crook of a finger, I found myself lifting off the ground and moving towards her. When I neared her, she wrapped an arm around my waist, steadying me.

“Look,” she said, pointing down at the pictures.

I looked down and I inhaled quickly. Forest Pack territory was huge. She lifted us higher and I continued to watched as the complete picture was formed. 

“Holy shit,” I said. “The territory is fucking huge.”

She chuckled and replied, “No kidding. I’m going to need a fucking huge piece of glass.”

“Glass,” I asked, confused.

“Yeah, I need it to build the surface of the territory on and then it’ll move through the glass so that we can see what’s below the surface.”

“How are we going to get glass that big?’

“I’m going to need a lot of sand.”

“Where are you going to get sand?”

She frowned and replied, “I’m going to have to create it. There’s no time to go to the coast and use the sand there. Dammit.”

She slowly lowered us down and let me go when our feet were firmly underneath us. I wobbled a little bit before I steadied. Nyx started picking the photos up, keeping them in numerical order. 

When they were back in the folder, Seph asked, “Well?”

“We have to make a huge piece of glass and then raise it at least four feet off the ground.”

“That’s a lot of sand, Nyx. I know you can heat them up quickly, but how’re you going to cool it fast enough?”

“I’m going to have to figure out a way to change my fire to something radioactive and drop the temp to 752 degrees Fahrenheit.”

“Can you even do that?”

“I’m not sure. I’m going to have to test it out before I attempt it for real. Maybe we can use a water mage to do the cooling process?”

“Do you want to do it down here?”

Nyx shook her head, “No, it’ll be better to do it on a flat piece of ground.”

“Alright. Now?”

“God, no,” Nyx said scoffing. “I need to shower and eat something before I do anything else. Geez, Seph.”

Seph chuckled, “You’re right, my bad.”

“Totally,” she said and turned to me, “You coming up with me?”

“No,” I said smiling sadly. “I need to have a conversation with Raven.”

She creased her forehead in worry, “Is everything okay with her? She was acting kinda strange.”

I looked around for her and spotted her in the place I had left her, still watching Nyx.

“Don’t know, but she can’t stop looking at you. She’s not making sense,” I confessed.

“Jealous,” Nyx said, pulling me into a one armed hug.

I laid my hand on her chest and laughed, “Me or her?”

She shrugged, “Either?”

I reached up and pulled her in a kiss, “I am not jealous. If I was, you’d be missing a lot of the female members of your guard.”

She captured my lips again and then said, “I’m quite content with my women. They can dream all they want, but I’m yours.”

“You are such a charmer, Nyx Allistar.”

“I have no defense.”

“No, you don’t. Now go shower,” I said, pushing her away. “You stink.”

She lifted an arm and sniffed at her armpit, making me laugh when she made a face. She bowed to me and jogged out of the room. Raven watched her go and I sighed then headed over to her.

“Alright, Rae,” I said to her, “Let’s go.”

She looked at me in surprise, “Go?”

“We need to talk. Let’s go to my bedroom.”

She nodded numbly and I pushed her before me. She sat on the bed and pulled her knees to her chest as I closed the door.

“Alright,” I said as I joined her on the bed. “What’s going through that head of yours.”

She sighed and searched the ceiling for words and then looked at me, “Ever since Dani and Nyx flirted with me, Nyx seems to invade my thoughts frequently.”

“What about Dani,” I asked, curiously.

“Her too, but it’s mostly Nyx. It’s really frustrating. Then there’s Tommy. I really like him,” she confessed.

“Okay,” I said thinking and said carefully, “You know they’re used to open relationships, right?”

“I know,” she said, blushing. “It’s confusing. How can I be attracted to both men and women?”

“Raven, you know I’m bi. There’s nothing wrong with liking both sexes. I know it’s confusing at first, but when you let yourself stop worrying about the how or why, you realize that there’s nothing to be afraid of or that people are going to look at you like you’re a freak.”

“When did you know?”

“Truth?”

She nodded and I said, “Probably when I started fantasizing about Sarah when I sat behind her in Intro to Mechanics.”

I thought back to that moment in time and smiled as I remembered.

“Her perfume would waft towards me. It smelled like apples and vanilla. Her hair looked so soft that I itched to run my fingers through it. When she spoke, my eyes were always drawn to her lips and I wondered what they would taste like. Watching her move. I was so confused, you know, because I had just broken up with Wells and I thought my mind was just trying to compensate for not being with him.”

“When did it stop being confusing?”

I smiled at her sweetly and said, “When Sarah kissed me. I knew then.”

“She’s a lesbian?”

“No,” I replied, chuckling. “She just got tired of me staring at her like a love sick boy and wanted me to stop. I didn’t, but I stopped making it obvious. Then I met Finn. The next woman I was attracted to was Nyx.”

She smiled and said, “And now you’ve got four lovers.”

I shrugged, but smiled, “Life’s funny that way. I’m really comfortable with it. It helped that Nyx was patient with me while I got used to the idea of being in love with her and Dani. They both were. I guess it helped that open relationships are normal and natural to them.”

“Would you be upset if anything happened between us,” she asked quietly and fearfully.

I cocked my head to my side and thought about it, “It’d be weird, but, no, I wouldn’t.”

“Why weird?”

“You’re like my sister, Rae,” I said smiling at her. “We talked today with Nyx’s mom and Lexa’s mom and Dani’s dad. Simone and Becca were looking at me and Scarlett like we were pieces of candy that they wanted to taste. She had to nip it in the bud before they could get any further than thoughts.”

She laughed and said, “Yeah, that would just be a little too weird.”

I nodded, “Right? Of course, Scarlett saw no problem voicing that she thought that Samual was attractive. Nyx had to stop her, too. Nyx told me that Becca tried very hard to sleep with her and nothing that Lexa did could dissuade her mom from going after her. Then there was Dani and Simone. I think Dani had a serious crush on her and Simone didn’t see a problem with it. Dani apparently actually got drunk one night and possibly made out with her.”

“Damn. What the hell is up with this pack,” she said laughing. “Seriously. Mom’s going after their children’s girlfriends.”

“It doesn’t seem to stop with the children,” I said, snickering, “Dani’s mom slept with Nyx’s dad and Lexa’s.”

“You have got to be fucking kidding!”

I shook my head, “Nyx said that Becca refused to talk to Lexa’s dad and Dani’s mom for a whole month. She was that mad at them.”

“Un-fucking-believable.”

I sighed and laid down on my back and said, “It’s surreal, Raven. I’m not just talking about loving four women. Watching how Lexa’s pack interact with one another; there’s such fluidity and acceptance. Everyone is considered family. They look out for each other. At the same time, they’re fiercely independent. The way they love is amazing. No jealousy or if there’s an inkling of that, they don’t let it linger and instead talk it out to clear the air between them.”

“Life is too precious to let the petty emotions take root,” she said, half to herself.

“I guess,” I said thinking. “I just know that I have four women who love me regardless of our bonds.” Sitting up, I looked at Raven and said, “If you’re having these feelings about Nyx, talk to her. Hell, kiss her so you can ease that confusion. But, seriously, just talk with her.”

“Maybe I should,” she said, sighing deeply. “Because what I’m doing is just making myself more confused every day.”

“Unless, you want to test it out and kiss me instead,” I teased.

“Okay, that’s just gross,” she said, looking at me like I just offered something disgusting.

I laughed and replied sarcastically, “Well, that makes me feel just lovely. Turned down by my best friend. Real self-esteem booster there.”

She laughed, “You know what I mean, Clarke. Thank you for this.”

I grinned, “I know what you mean and your welcome. Life’s just too short to spend your days thinking about what ifs.”

She pulled me into a hug and then got up to leave. When she opened the door, she stepped back quickly because Nyx was leaning against the wall opposite my door.

“Eavesdropping,” I called out from the bed.

She laughed and replied as she walked into the room, “I heard voices, but I didn’t listen. Promise.”

“Well, I’m just going to go now. I’ll see y’all later,” Raven said and started leaving.

“Hey, Raven,” Nyx said, making her turn around, “make sure you get plenty of rest. Tomorrow is going to be probably the hardest thing you’ll ever do. We need you at your strongest.”

She blushed and said, “Okay.”

“Good. We’ll see you later.”

She nodded and closed the door behind her.

Nyx gave me a look and crossed the room and pushed me down and looked at me.

Smiling, she asked, “She good now?”

“She feels better, but she’s still working it out in her head,” I replied, my arms reaching around her neck. “You might have to pull a Sarah or a Dani.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re just going to have to kiss to help her figure it out,” I said chuckling.

“Ah,” she said in understanding and shaking her head. “Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to do that, but I’d rather not go there unless I really have to. It could put a strain on her relationship with Tommy and I wouldn’t want to jeopardize that. I think I’ll have a talk with her first. I need her to understand that if she can’t control whatever she’s feeling in regards to me, tomorrow could be more dangerous than it already will be.”

“Why’s that,” I asked.

She shifted us until we were facing each other, her head propped up by an elbow, she replied, “I have to establish a telepathic link with her. Um, it’s where my mind eases into the spot that normally holds telepathy and her mind goes into mine. It’s real intimate and you can pick up on the memories and feelings of one another. If her feelings are too confusing or consuming when it comes to me, it could turn deadly because we won’t be able to focus on what we’re doing.”

“Can you show me what you mean?”

“Close your eyes,” she said, waiting until I did, “Because we already share a bond, this’ll be easier for you to do. Find the bond between us and with your mind, invite me in. You’ll know when you feel more connected to me.”

I did what she asked and in my mind, I called out to her and inviting her to enter my mind. Suddenly, I felt her more solidly and I felt her love for me become more intense. With my eyes closed, I could see images flash that I knew weren’t mine. For some reason an image came into focus and I could see the night that we met, but from her point of view. I could also feel the emotions that associated with the memory. I couldn’t help but smile at the feelings of instant attraction and desire.

The memory faded and then she said, “Open your eyes.”

I did and saw the smile playing on her lips. I leaned in and kissed her softly and abruptly there was an influx of love and desire that was more intense than I had ever felt for her. I pulled back and looked at her.

“That was what I meant about what Raven may or may not be feeling about me. The intensity of the emotions override the other senses.”

“I get it,” I said, understanding the potential harm that Raven could cause inadvertently. “Is there anything else that a telepathic link can do?”

_Yes. We can speak mind to mind._

My eyes widened in shock and surprise because I had heard her voice, but hadn’t seen her mouth move.

“Damn,” I whispered in astonishment. “But you can also maintain a conversation through normal means?”

She nodded, “Yes. The link only takes up a small fraction of our focus. Besides being able to speak that way, I’ll be able to gauge how she’s doing both on a physical level and power level. If the physical strain becomes too much, I can send her healing to help lessen the strain. I’m not sure that I can help if her power level drops to a dangerous level since we don’t share the same power unless I can tap into just raw power.”

As she spoke, I could feel her concern grow as she began to think about the possible problems that could arise. She noticed that I had started thinking about it as well and she began to ease out of my mind until I only felt the bond between us.

“Why’d you let go of the link slowly?”

“If I move too quickly, there’s a chance that I could leave a bit of me behind, leaving the link still established. It can make a person feel crazy because they’re feeling and seeing things that aren’t theirs.”

I nodded, “Makes sense.”

Abruptly, a mischievous glint found it’s way into her eyes and a smirk formed on her lips. I was given an inkling of Tommy and Scarlett’s reactions to this look on her face as a shiver ran down my spine and I couldn’t tell if it was a good or a bad thing.

“What are you thinking about,” I asked, unsure if I wanted to know.

The chuckle that she emitted was low and caused my body to react in anticipation and I knew that our conversation was effectively over. She slowly shifted us until I was on my back and she was leaning over me. My breath caught in my throat as I watched her eyes darken with desire. She leaned down closer and playfully nipped my lips before she moved to my neck and grazed her teeth along it’s length, making me moan and closing my eyes in pleasure. She continued her downward travel and I arched my back when she kissed the hollow spot at the base of my neck. When she kissed me right below where the pendent lay right above my breasts, I lost it and flipped us over making her chuckle and I took over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reason why I wrote about Raven being attracted to Nyx to the point of distraction, is because I wanted to make it a point of conflict prior to them working together to protect the territory.
> 
> I didn’t want to make it too easy. :)


	55. Nyx

After I ate, I headed to the garage where Tommy had laid out sheets of sheet metal and a welding torch. I made a shallow box with a lid to lay the sand in. I had already grabbed a Geiger counter and electric thermometer. I took everything outside and created a fire pit that the tin would lay over. Then I built a raised grill that would hold it I place. Kneeling, I laid one hand on the ground and the other over the mold. Concentrating, sand began appearing and I soon had the mold full. I started a fire and pointed the thermometer at it. I slowly increased the temperature until it needed to be at to cool the liquid glass. I then concentrated on changing the properties of the fire to become more radioactive and watched the Geiger counter for any reaction. The more I manipulated the higher the gauge moved. Something inside told me when I had found the perfect level. I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing I could do that. Then came the next step. I let the fire become regular fire once more. I raised the temperature to the level I needed to melt the sand. Once I reached the temperature, I forced it to drop significantly while at the same time turning it radioactive. It took me a few tries, but I eventually got it.

I took a small break, sitting on the ground and stretching my legs before me and leaning back on my arms. I closed my eyes and breathed in the fresh crisp winter air. I let my mind wander to Lexa and Dani, feeling for them through my bonds. They were still unconscious, but their bodies felt whole to me, unfortunately they still didn’t respond to my mind calls and this made me frown.

_Hey, Scar?_

A pause and then, _Hey, hon. Everything okay?_

_Yeah, but I was wondering, are they showing brain activity, like is everything firing like it should?_

_There is brain activity, but it’s not at a level that a coma patient or an unconscious person would show._

_Is that good or bad?_ _It’s not good, but it isn’t bad either. Traumatic injuries like what they endured can have a huge impact on how their minds react, even when the brain says that everything is working properly._

_Huh. Should I try calling them back to us?_

_Not yet. If I don’t see any kind of increase in the activity after we get the shield up and running, then I think you should. Lex should be easier, because her trauma was less. I’m more worried about Dani._

_I am, too. I hope that she hasn’t retreated so far into herself to realize that it’s safe and her body is fine. It’ll make it that more difficult for her to come out on her own or for me to reach her._

_Well, we’ll handle it when the time comes. What are you up to?_

_Making glass. The size of the territory is huge and I need a big enough sheet of glass to build the live model on, so that I can make sure that the underground matches up with the surface._

_How big are we talkin’ ‘bout, darlin’?_

_Um, about 200 by 100 feet. It’s about the smallest I can make it without compromising the details too much._

_You’ve got to be fucking kidding me?!_

_No. It’s insane I know, but with the amount of detail I need, it has to be that big._

_Fuck me._

_Later._

I felt a mental smack against my head and I chuckled to myself.

_You are such a smart ass, Nyx._

_Eh, can’t argue with you. Alright, I got to get back to this. Dinner?_

_Dinner, love._

We let each other go and I got back to the test. I raised the temperature of the fire and picked up the mold. I laid it gently over the fire trying not to jostle the sand too much because I needed the surface as level as possible and smooth. I stared intently at it as it slowly began to melt. When it was fully melted and became clear, I closed the lid to prevent any impurities to get in and cooled it down. I felt a timer go off in my head and put out the fire. I opened the lid, I ran my finger gently over the surface and didn’t feel it give. A grin spread on my face and I placed my hand in the middle and pushed down and it stayed. I closed the lid and flipped it over then lifted the bottom up. I picked up the glass and held it up to the light and examined it. There were some minor imperfections but nothing more than that. I had just made a perfect sheet of glass. I put it back on the lid and closed it up. Picking up the Geiger and thermometer, I took everything to the kitchen. Sephy, Ben, and Raven were there chatting over hot chocolate. I put the gauges on the counter and I laid the box in the middle of the table and stepped back up.

“Did it work,” Sephy asked, looking up at me.

“Look for yourself,” I said, grinning big.

I had laid it lid down so that it could be removed. Ben opened it carefully, and Seph lifted it out just as carefully. She moved it this way and that, catching the light every once in awhile.

“This is damn near perfect,” she said and passed it on to Ben.

When it got to Raven, I gently took it from her hands, my hands brushing hers and I noticed that my touch sent a shiver up her arm. I pretended not to notice because I didn’t want to make her feel more uncomfortable and laid it back in the box. I went and poured myself a cup of cocoa and sat down at the table.

“You can do it, so what’s the next step,” Ben asked.

“Making the sheet of glass so big is an issue,” I said, thinking. “It needs to be done outside which begs the question of how to get it down into the training room without breaking or cracking it.”

“Smaller sheets,” Seph suggested. 

I nodded, “That’s what I’m thinking. I also need place holders that are thin enough that there’s very little gap between the sheets.”

“What’s the area size of the glass,” Bens asked.

“200 x 100 feet.”

“If we want to get the sheets through the door, the width can’t be no more than 10 feet. The length should be around 20 feet to make it safer to move. Which means you need to make 100 sheets of glass.”

I nodded, “Alright. I’m going to need help to get this done. I’m going to need about twenty molds made and the holders. The time consuming part will be making the glass.”

“You’ve got to have two types of fire right,” Raven said as she looked at me.

“Yeah. You got an idea,” I said with a small smile.

She blushed and said, “Um, yeah. What if you set up a conveyor system. Have one fire pit holding the temperature to melt the sand, then another where you need it to cool the the glass. You can roll the molds across the system and then have the containers holding the glass taken to the training room. From there, you take the glass out and lay them down on the holders.”

“That would make it quicker, but then I would have to wait for the first ten to come back before I can start it over again.”

She scrunched her face in thought and then it brightened as she said, “You make like 30 molds. Get an earth mage to make the sand while you maintain the fires. Get more people involved so that it’s continuous until you made a hundred sheets of glass.”

I leaned over and grabbed her face and kissed her on the lips, “Brilliant, Rae. That way I only have to maintain the fires long enough to run them through 10 times and in half the time.”

When I had let her go, she slammed back into her chair and looked at me in complete shock.

I looked over at Sephy and asked, “Did I just break her?”

She chuckled and replied, “I think she just didn’t expect it. She’ll be okay.”

I looked between the two of them and asked her, “Are you sure? She’s looking a little green.”

“She’ll be fine. Just go do what you gotta do, so that we can get this done.”

“If you say so,” I said, getting up and hugging her, “I’m off to find Tommy and work on a design with him.”

“T-T-Tommy,” Raven stuttered and looked up at me. “W-why do you need to t-talk to Tommy?”

I grinned and said, “He’s a strong metal mage. He can help me build them once we got a design.”

She coughed and said weakly, “Oh. Okay.”

I shook my head at her behavior and headed to the guards garage. Tommy and I hashed out the designs and we headed back over to the compound to work in the back. I decided that this was going to be the best place to make the glass since it was very close to where they would need to be placed. Done, we went back in and joined the pack for dinner. I joked with Scarlett, Clarke, and Tommy the entire time and I would catch Raven looking at us before she would quickly glance away. I sighed mentally to myself and I decided that I would indeed have to take Clarke’s advice.

I sighed again and nudged Tommy, _Hey cuz, I think Raven might be crushing on me._

He looked up at me in surprise and I nodded my head slightly in her direction. He glanced quickly over and he gave me a small smile and sighed.

_Figures. Dammit, Nyx, what’d you do?_

_Hell if I know, Tommy. Dani and I flirted with her one time. One time, I swear. Clarke told me that she hasn’t been able to stop thinking about me. She also told me that Raven does like you. Like like’s you._

_She does_ , he asked and I nodded.

_She does. What do you think I should do because I don’t want to overstep my bounds here?_

_You know what? Kiss her. Maybe it’ll break whatever she’s stuck in and I can take her out on a date._

_The closet didn’t help?_

_It did, but now I can’t get her to agree to go out with me. We talk and work on the trucks together._

_So, I got your permission?_

_Yeah, you do._

_Thank you._

_I hope I won’t end up regretting this._

_Nah, I think you’re safe._

He nodded and we let go of the conversation and turned our attention back to everyone else. After dinner, Clarke and I went down and visited Lexa and Dani. Clarke had brought the book down with her and settled herself to read to Lexa. I spent some time with Dani, gently trying to coax her from wherever she was hiding, but I couldn’t reach her without delving deeper. I sighed and just held her hand as I listened to Clarke’s voice, chuckling when she got to a funny part. Eventually, the day was finally starting to wear me down and I got up to head back to the compound. I kissed Clarke and told her not to stay too much longer. She promised and I headed out.

I didn’t have long to wait to have my chance with Raven. I ran into her as I was coming around the last corner before I came up on the compound. She had her head down, lost in thought, and walked straight into me. I caught her before she looked up at me and froze.

I smiled down at her and said, “Just the person I wanted to talk to.”

“What? Why,” she asked, taking a step back fearfully.

“I think we need to have a chat about what’s going to happen tomorrow and what you’re feeling for me,” I answered as gently as I could.

“My, my feelings for you,” she stammered.

I nodded, “Yeah. Take a walk with me.”

She agreed and we picked a random direction to begin walking. I kept a slight distance from her to make sure that I gave her enough space to, hopefully, think clearly.

After a bit of silence, she asked, “You wanted to talk, so talk.”

I smiled, “Alright. Clarke told me that you seem to be attracted to me and that it’s confused you. Is that right?”

She sighed, “Yeah, I’d say that’s about right. It’s just that ever since you flirted with me when we tested your powers, I haven’t really been able to not think about you. And when I see you flirting with other women and knowing that you’re bonded to Clarke, it makes me more confused because it doesn’t make sense.”

“You’re wondering how I can flirt with other women and yet still love Clarke and don’t want anyone else besides my bondmates?”

“Well, yeah,” she replied, exasperated as she turned her head to look at me. “But it’s also the fact that Clarke doesn’t get mad at you for doing it. I guess I can’t wrap my head around the idea of a whole group of people that think having open relationships is natural.”

“I can tell you this,” I said, thinking, “When Dani showed up, Clarke told me that she felt instantly attracted to her and couldn’t understand how she’d be feeling that way when she was with me and in love with me. Her confusion got worse when Dani would flirt with her because the attraction grew and she didn’t know how to handle it. Clarke and I didn’t really have a discussion about it until Dani kissed her one day. Clarke was shocked by her own reaction to the kiss and because of how y’all were raised, she thought that she had just cheated on me.”

“But that’s not how you saw it, right?”

“Right. I reminded her that it was alright to be attracted to other people because it happens all the time. We pass someone on the street and our eyes will follow them because there’s attraction. You may not necessarily act on the attraction, either by pursuit or fantasizing about them, but it’s okay to feel it.”

“Okay, I can understand that and have probably felt that a time or two, but your pack is different. It’s almost like you need to find out if the attraction is mutual and you do that with flirting and whatnot. It also seems as if most of the time, when you find out it’s mutual, you have sex without regards to anyone else that may be involved.”

“Because of the compulsion to have sex frequently to keep our sanity, we learned a long time ago that in order to allow our pack to continue to grow, we had to change how we thought about relationships. We adopted a mindset of a more fluid and open relationship where having sex with someone that isn’t our partner became accepted. Once open relationships became the norm, de Pakstoka and the Second knew that we needed to create laws that protected each other from the potential problems that could occur from having such a thing in place. It’s why the punishments are so severe if such things happen.”

“And Clarke understands this and is okay with it?”

“Yes. Honestly, we’re surprised that she so readily accepted it. I figured that it would take a while for her to get comfortable with the idea of loving and sleeping with multiple women, but it only took a couple of conversations for her to readily accept it. I think that Mother Earth may have had a hand in getting her to accept it quickly because there’s a five way bond and that bonds are initiated through sex.”

“Does Clarke know this,” she asked, stopping and looking at me in shock.

I shook my head, “I don’t think so. It’s never been brought up as to why she’s so accepting of the whole mess.”

She sighed and started walking again, “Okay, that answers why Clarke is okay with you guys flirting with other women, but it doesn’t answer why I’m obsessively attracted to you.”

“Well, let’s see if we can figure this out,” I said, thoughtfully. “Have you noticed that I seem to draw every woman’s eyes when I walk around?”

“Yeah. Why is that?”

“Did you know that all animals give off a pheromone that attracts someone in order to reproduce?”

“I think so,” she said, hesitantly.

“Well, I give off a rather strong pheromone that attracts women. Be they weres or human mages, but it only affects those that are receptive to sleeping with another woman. Straight women don’t really seem to be bothered by it.”

“Why would that be? Why would you produce such a strong pheromone?”

“I think it’s because everything about me is heightened. From strength to my metabolism.”

“So, you’re saying that I’m attracted to you because of the pheromone.”

“Yes, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re attracted to women in general. You could just be curious. I’ve come across women where that’s been the case.”

“Well, how did you figure it out?”

I chuckled, “Usually, Scarlett and I would sleep with the same woman on two separate occasions. I would go first and typically they enjoyed it. Then at some other time, Scarlett would sleep with her and there was a fifty-fifty chance of yay or nay.”

“Why Scarlett,” she asked, confused.

“She was the only one I trusted enough to do that with, especially since I consider her my best friend. But it makes more sense now that we’re bondmates.”

“So, is your suggestion to help me sort out my feelings is to sleep with you and Scarlett?”

“No,” I replied, shaking my head. “We actually don’t have the time to do something like that.”

“We don’t?”

“Look, Raven,” I said, stopping us near the bunker. “The reason why we’re having this conversation is because tomorrow when we build the warded shield, I’m going to have to establish a telepathic link with you so that we can work together to join the shield and ward together. I’m also going to be the one to look at your overall welfare. Making sure that you don’t die after it’s built. Creating a telepathic link is an intimate act. You’ll be in my mind and I’ll be in yours. The link allows each person a glimpse of the other’s memories and feelings. If you are unable to put your emotions for me aside while we’re linked, it could have deadly consequences.”

She looked at me fearfully and asked, “Deadly?”

I nodded, “Yes. Emotions have a way of becoming overwhelming, making it extremely difficult to focus on anything other than those emotions. Creating the shield and then melding it with the ward takes an obsessive amount of concentration and focus. Because we’ll be working on a living model of the territory, if anything goes wrong with the ward or the shield as they’re being created it will have a real world consequence. Anything from making the ward permanent and unable to remove to something explosive that could hurt or kill a lot of people.”

“God, that’s really, really bad,” she replied, her face paling as the realization hit her. “Which is why we’re having this conversation.”

“Exactly. I’m not trying to scare you intentionally and cause you to fight the telepathic link. I just want you to understand of what can happen when emotions aren’t controlled when doing work like this. Now, the question is; what do you want to do about it?”

She sighed and replied, “If I’m honest about this, what you’ve just told me scares the living shit out of me. I can also tell you, that right now, my body is reacting very strongly with you being so near. Almost like it’s craving your touch and desires you, which I guess is because of the pheromone that you emit. If I’m having this much trouble just being around you, I don’t think I’ll be able to concentrate tomorrow regardless of how important it is. Would, would having sex with you help?”

I thought about it and replied, “It probably would because the curiosity would be satisfied, but I don’t think we’d have to go that far if we can avoid it. Sometimes a kiss can be just as satisfying, but it’s up to you to decide what to do.”

She stood there silently as she thought about everything that I said and then nodded to herself, “Let’s try the kiss.”

“You sure,” I replied.

She nodded emphatically and said, “Yeah, I’m sure.”

“Okay,” I replied and taking the initiative, stepped closer to her and gently placed my hand on the back of her neck. I leaned down and pulling her closer, kissed her. There was a bit of resistance and then she parted her lips, drawing the kiss deeper. I let her dictate the kiss and I felt her arms wrap around my waist, pulling me closer. She finally ended the kiss and stepped a half step back, dropping my arms and I let go of her.

I looked down at her curiously and she looked up at me with a small smile, I asked, “What’s up with the smile?”

She took a step back and cleared her throat, the smile still on her lips and said, “The tension’s gone and I feel more relaxed being so near you.”

I smiled, “That’s good. Do you think you’ll be able to work with me tomorrow?”

She thought about it and replied, “Yeah, there won’t be a problem. I’m actually more comfortable around you than I have since you’ve arrived.”

“Then my work here is done.”

She laughed, “God, you are so weird and full of yourself.”

I laughed, “Probably. If you’re good, I’d like to go check on everyone.”

“I’m good. Go and see them. I know how much you care for them.”

“Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon then.”

She nodded, “Alright.”

With that, she headed down into the bunker and I waited a bit before I headed down there myself. When I went into the room, I found Clarke asleep with her arms and head on Lexa’s bed. I left her alone for a moment and headed over to Dani. Looking down at her, I felt my heart constrict with pain seeing her lying so still. It was so different from her normally vibrant self that all I wanted to do was weep. I couldn’t help the few tears that fell as I kissed her forehead, my breath shuddering in my lungs. I closed my eyes and sent loving thoughts down our bond, wishing that I could feel her return them. When I didn’t, I straightened and tucked the blankets more firmly around her.

I went over to Lexa, looking at her vitals, and saw that there was more activity showing. It looked like having Clarke read to her from her favorite book was helping. I kissed Lexa on her forehead and then went over to Clarke. I gently lifted her out of the chair, making her shift a bit until she snuggled against me and let out a soft sigh, and carried her over to the spare bed. I laid her down and removed her boots before tucking her in. She buried herself deeper, making me smile and I gave her a chaste kiss. 

With one last look at all three of them, I headed out of the bunker and back to compound in search of my bed. Scarlett was already asleep by the time I crawled into bed, but she woke up just enough to pull me to her and wrapped an arm around my waist, holding me tight. I fell asleep listening to her soft purr in my ears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I felt the need to put a note down here about the scene between Nyx and Raven.
> 
> Originally, the scene was supposed to have them run into each other and Nyx kinda says fuck it and kisses Raven. Raven decides to become more exploratory and kisses Nyx again. Then she asks if there was a difference between how Nyx kisses her bondmates vs. women she just sleeps with when there’s no emotional attachment. This leads to basically a make out session. Leaving both of them in need of release.
> 
> There’s also a bit of conversation that places Tommy in the spotlight expounding his character in a positive light, effectively telling Raven to give him a chance.
> 
> Because of the explanation that I now have in place, I felt that particular conversation made the chapter a bit too long, so I left it out.
> 
> Now, if you’d like to see what was originally written, I have no problem posting the alternate scene. But only if you, as my readers, would like to read it.
> 
> It also had led to a more interesting conversation between Nyx, Scarlett, and Clarke in the next chapter.


	56. Nyx

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The shielded ward is placed.

It was still dark when I got up and went down to the kitchen to eat breakfast. No one else was up yet, so I had the place to myself for once. Making a good size breakfast of pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausage, toast, and orange juice with coffee, I sat and ate as I focused my mind on what we had to do today. I went over each step and examined them from every side making sure that it would go as smoothly as possible. We couldn’t risk one misstep. I finished and cleaned up. I still felt an excess of energy, so I ran the obstacle course a couple of times to release it. When I felt better, I headed over to the mechanics and got Tommy and his crew, then headed to the mess for the rest of the people I needed. Silently, we got to work. The inlay tables were taken inside and brought to the training room. They wouldn’t be moved together until they each had a sheet of glass on them. Tommy and his guys built the conveyor system as I made the molds and a couple of earth mages dug the fire pits. When we were ready, I started the fires and got them at the appropriate temperatures. The earth mages were already filling the molds and started putting them on the conveyor. I set it in motion as everyone waited to begin, moving more quickly as the glass was produced.

Soon, the first ones began rolling off and things began to take shape. By the time the sun had risen fully, we were already halfway through. By the time, everyone came to check on the process, we were nearly done. When the last mold passed the first set of fires, I let the fire extinguish and waited somewhat impatiently for it to be handed off to the last runner. The fire was put out and the holes filled back up. Without a word, I walked down to the training room. I watched from the side as the tables were set up. The men were meticulous and a little obsessive in making sure there was very little to no gap between the sheets. When they were done, I dismissed them for the rest of the day.

“Hey, Nyx,” Tommy called. “What do you want to do with the conveyor system?”

“Haven’t given it thought,” I said to him. “Think it can be utilized somewhere else?”

“Definitely,” he replied. “If you don’t mind, we’ll take it out of the back and put it where we want it. What about the sheets of glass and tables?”

“We can probably make the glass into windows or maybe keep some of them as tables. We can make some money there.”

He grinned, “There’s the Nyx I know. Ever the opportunist.”

I grinned back and said, “Hey, if you can’t make money off of what you create, it shouldn’t have been made it the first place, right?”

“Caster family motto. It’s not just a motto, but…”

“It’s a way of life,” I finished for him. “Go, get the stuff out of here and go have some fun.”

“You don’t need anymore help?”

“Nah, I got this, cuz,” I said with a wicked grin, “Now, it’s time for me to have some fun.”

He laughed and gave me a quick squeeze before leaving me in the room by myself. I shook myself out a bit and sent the photos flying to the opposite wall from me and laid them out numerically until the wall was nothing but Forest Pack Territory. With a little mental shake, they settled and wouldn’t move again. I took off my socks and boots and my feet curled in reaction to the cold. I removed the concrete from beneath my feet until I felt myself sink into the earth. I sighed as I felt myself connect to it and sent myself flying through the ground, memorizing everything that lay beneath the surface. I smiled to myself feeling the seemingly dormant life grow and change as I moved by. I felt myself burst over the surface and skimmed it as I continued to memorize each blade of grass, speck of dirt, rock, bush, tree, stream, creek. I could feel the ground shake with each creatures movements and I knew instantly what they were. 

With certainty, I opened my eyes and concentrated on the table in front of me. Slowly, land began appearing. Rising and spreading, growing. The Shenandoah Valley shaping as riverbeds formed. Trees sprang to life as cities, towns, villages began to dot the surface. As the model grew in detail, more and more life began to appear. Roads, trails crisscrossed the surface as I felt the earth respond to my requests. When I was done, the model and the reality shivered and there was a sound that sounded like a crack of lightning as they became the same. I returned to myself slowly and stepped out of the hole I had made. I lifted myself until I was mere feet from the ceiling and surveyed what I had just created. My breath caught in my throat as I realized just how beautiful our land was as it lay underneath a layer of snow. There were tiny dots of movements and I knew that they were the people and creatures that called this place home. I was filled with so much joy that I briefly wondered if this was what Mother Earth had once felt when she healed the land or when the world was first created. I laughed at my own folly and lowered myself back down.

I sat on the bench and reached for my communicator as my eyes never left the model.

“Seph,” I said.

“Yeah, Nyx,” she answered.

“The model’s done and it’s beautiful,” I said, still amazed that I had done it.

“It is, Nyx,” she said. “We’ve got cameras in there and there are no words to describe what you’ve done.”

“Ditto, kid. Have you gotten ahold of the border patrols and commanders?”

“Yeah, they’re all on standby.”

“Everyone’s away from the borders and the areas for the towers?”

“Yeah, are you ready for the next phase?”

“Yep. When I’ve got the towers built, I’ll take a short break and get something to eat.”

“Alright. We’ve got eyes on you.”

I smiled and replied, “I wouldn’t expect otherwise. Warn the borders that it’s going to feel like a lot of small earthquakes. I’ll begin in three minutes.”

“Copy.”

I laid the communicator on the bench and studied the photos. Ben had been kind enough to mark where each tower would be placed and giving me the various heights. I smiled and sent a small prayer for whoever had sent him to me in thanks. For this task, I needed to be on the ceiling. I lifted myself and laid flat on the ceiling as I stared at the model. At three minutes, I turned my focus to the border and concentrated on creating the towers. I worked slowly so that I wouldn’t disrupt the earth too much, I did’t want to actually create an earthquake. Slowly, the towers peppered the border and when the territory was completely surrounded, I moved onto the next set. I repeated the process, slow and steady. Then to the third, this was where it was being felt here. The foundation of the compound shook slightly, but it wasn’t enough to cause any damage. The fourth set came next, the ground shaking more, but holding steady. Then came the final tower. I narrowed my eyes and focused hard on the spot. The tower emerged from the ground, like a blade of grass, and continued to grow, the base growing bigger to keep it from falling over. I felt it snap in place when it was at the required height. I brought myself to the ground and walked around the model, inspecting each tower and placement. I strengthened one or two of them before I was satisfied.

The communicator beeped and I walked over and picked it up and looked at the screen. Seph had sent me a message saying that there was visual confirmation of the towers. I sent her a message back and told her to start setting up the final phases and have everyone in the training room in an hour. Getting her confirmation, I headed back up to the kitchen. Clarke and Scarlett were there and they had a huge plate of food waiting for me.

Scarlett saw me and beamed me a huge smile and said, “We figured that you’d be hungry by now. We checked on you earlier and saw the model being built.”

I walked over and gave her a kiss before I sat down and drank some water and replied, “Thanks. I didn’t realize how hungry I’d get doing all of this. Instead of getting tired, I get like massively hungry.”

Clarke leaned over and gave me a kiss and said, “You’re probably burning more energy. Thanks, by the way.”

“For what,” I said as I began eating.

“For tucking me in last night,” she said with a smile. “I guess I fell asleep reading to Lexa.”

I nodded, “You did. I didn’t want to carry you all the way back to the compound when I knew that you’d be visiting her as soon as you woke up. When I went to check on you, I saw that Lex was showing more brain activity. Reading to her seems to be helping.”

“What about Dani?”

I shook my head and frowned, “No changes. I’m really starting worry. I know she suffered more trauma, but still, she’s completely healed. I still can’t reach her through normal means. I’m going to have to delve deeper in her mind, if we don’t see any progress.”

“It’s like she’s in a vegetative state,” Scarlett said sadly.

I reached out a hand and gave hers a gentle squeeze, “We’ve got to get her back. It’s killing me not having her here.”

“I know, sweetheart,” Clarke said, just as emotional. “If anyone can bring her back, it’s you.”

I gave her a sad smile and decided to change the subject, I said, “I ran into Raven last night.”

“Oh, and how did that go,” she said with a smile.

“You’re right, had to kiss her,” I said and smiled softly as I remembered. 

“So, is she finally over the staring stalk she had going on,” Clarke asked with a mischievous smile.

“I’m pretty sure she has,” I said thinking. “I think she still has some things to work out, but she promised that she’d be able to focus today and won’t get distracted by me. I broke it down for her and told her that what she may be feeling is just her reacting to my pheromones. That she may not necessarily be bi, just really attracted to me.”

“Think she’ll look for someone to test your theory,” Scarlett asked and I could see the little wheels turning in her head.

I shook my head and chuckled, “Don’t know. It’s up to her what she wants to do, not me. You remember that girl from your apartment building?”

“Yeah, Elizabeth. I swear she was worse than a stray. We finally confronted her about what she was doing. Did the whole confession thing and then we both slept with her, so she could figure it out. Turned out that it was just you. Which was a bummer, she had some great tits to play with. Tragic.”

“You would think so,” I replied, chuckling and soaked up the grease on my plate with a large piece of bread. 

When she saw that I had finished, she asked me, “Feeling better?”

I smiled at her and said, “Yes.”

“How long before you got to head back downstairs?”

I looked at the clock and replied, “In about half an hour. This will take probably the rest of the day and everyone is going to be exhausted. I’ve already planned to have Abby, Jackson and a few medical staff there in case something happens.”

“Is it that dangerous,” Clarke asked, suddenly worried.

“Not overall,” I replied. “I’m more worried that Ben and Monty may overextend themselves and not tap out when they need to. Then, there’s Raven. She’s the one we really need to keep an eye on. She’ll be safe enough while the two of us are linked, but I can’t say the same once I sever the link.”

“Could it kill her,” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“If it was with anyone but me, yes, it could. I’m not going to let that happen.”

“Hey, Nyx,” Seph said as she entered the kitchen with Ben. “Everything’s set up.”

“How’s everyone feeling,” I asked.

“Well rested, but we’re nervous as hell,” Ben replied. “This is a huge undertaking. Just making that small model was exhausting.”

I nodded, “If that’s the case, you and Monty have got to tap out as soon as you start to feel the effects. I’m not going to lose either one of you trying to keep up with Raven.”

“That’s why we’re linking up with the healers,” he said. “They’ll be monitoring us while you’ve got Raven.”

I nodded satisfied with his answer and I looked back at Scarlett and Clarke, “This is going to be long and boring. I’d like it if you would keep an eye on Lexa and Dani for me while I do this.”

“Of course, sugar,” Scarlett said as she brought me into a tight hug and kissed me deeply.

Clarke did the same thing and said, “We’ll take care of them.”

I smiled and said, “I know you will. Don’t wait up for me tonight, okay?”

“Alright. Love you.”

“Love you both,” I said and headed back to the training room with Sephy and Ben.

 

When I came into the room, Raven and Monty walked over to greet me. 

“Nyx, this is incredible,” Monty said, gesturing towards the model as we walked over to it.

I rubbed the back of my neck absently and replied, “It is. Never in a million years did I ever imagine that I’d be able to create something this intricate or so alive. I never even thought that I could heat up a fire to over 7000 degrees Fahrenheit or a freaking radioactive fire.”

“No shit,” Raven said with a grin. “What are you going to do with the model after we’re done.”

We stood along the length and I looked down at it in thought, “I’m thinking of shrinking it down and putting a protective covering over it.”

“Why?”

“I’m thinking that if our territory ever changes borders we can use it to adjust the ward and shield as needed.”

She nodded and said, “That’s a pretty good idea. I like it.”

I grinned wide and said, “Of course, it’s a good idea. I had it.”

She pushed me and laughed, “I thought you were modest, not arrogant.”

I laughed and replied, “It’s not arrogance if it’s fact.”

“Psh, whatever,” she said and then turned serious. “We’re ready when you are.”

“Alright, let’s get to it,” I said and turned to Seph, “Let the border know that we’re about to start. We’ll give them five minutes to make sure no one’s near it.”

Raven clapped her hands together and said, “Time to get started,” and they went over to a computer they had set up.

There was some clacking on the keyboard and soon there was a soft hum filling the room. They each took a place along the table, Abby, Jackson, and I joined them. The four of them linked up silently.

I looked over at Raven and said, “You good?”

She looked over at me nervously and replied, “Yeah. I’m good.”

I nodded, “This is going to feel weird. I need you to close your eyes and open up your mind. You’re going to hear my voice in your head and pretty much invite me deeper into your mind. We’ll be able to talk to each other this way and still be able to communicate with everyone in the room. Monty and Ben will be feeding you their power because this is your baby. You control the starting point and then move it outward from there. I’ll be guiding you the whole time, just keep your focus on spreading the shield over the territory at a slow space. Remember, you don’t have to use a lot of energy to accomplish the task, only focus and concentration. Got it?”

She wiped sweat off her palms on her pants and nodded. She closed her eyes and I felt her mind open and search for mine.

Smiling, I said, _Can you hear me okay, Raven?_

_Yeah, this is so weird._

_It’s about to get weirder. I’m establishing the link now. Don’t be afraid of what you’ll see or feel, like I told you this is an intimate act. Don’t fight it, just let it happen. I promise you won’t lose yourself._

_Okay._

I reached further into her mind and encountered her memories fleetingly. I passed them by and searched for the part of the mind that held onto telepathy. When I found it, I gently eased myself in there and opened a link between the two of us. She gasped slightly as our minds clicked together.

_Well, hi there, sexy_ , I said.

I felt a slight embarrassment come from her and then gratitude.

_I thought we were supposed to focus on the task, not flirt._

_Alright, I’ll behave, but just so you know, I’m a great multitasker. Alright, open your eyes and link with Monty and Ben. When you’re ready, start building the shield. Slow and steady._

_That’s what she said_ , she said with a hint of laughter.

I groaned in her head and laughed, _Focus._

“Nyx, they’re ready for you to do your thing,” Seph called out from her station.

I turned my attention to the model in front of me as I felt Raven begin the shield. I focused on two towers and created the first ward and anchored it. I repeated the process. I worked quickly but efficiently. When they were all built, I snapped them together and I watched as the border trembled from the force of it.

“Nyx, each Commander is reporting that the wards are visible and impenetrable.”

“Good. Tell them to standby. Raven’s only a quarter of the way done.”

“Copy,” she replied and relayed my orders to the Commanders.

_How we doing, hon_ , I asked Raven.

_This is hard. I want to just rush it, but I know I can’t._

_You’re doing real well. Your power level looks good._

_Thanks._

I watched the shield creep slowly along as I monitored Raven’s power level and vitals. Sweat was beading on her top lip and she licked it away. I looked over at Ben and Monty and saw that they were already sweating heavily. The shield was halfway done when Monty had to tap out. Jackson caught him as he stumbled away from the table and guided him to a cot to lay on. I glanced at Ben and he seemed to still be holding on. 

_Rae, talk to me._

_It’s getting harder, Nyx. I’m starting to feel the strain now._

_Your power dropped a bit when Monty tapped out just now. You’re compensating for the loss of power. Just breathe, darlin’._

I’m watching the shield with a critical eye now and I saw that it was slowing down. Hadn’t even made it halfway to the ¾ mark yet. It’s slowed down even more and I looked at Ben. He’s barely holding on.

“Ben,” I told him. “Tap out, now.”

“But…,” he started to say, voice strained.

“Tap out, Dammit. Now!”

He did and he crumbled to the floor. Abby and Jackson had to half carry him to the cot where he collapsed. Raven let out a cry of pain and her power’s under the halfway mark. The shield’s moving, but you could barely tell. 

Making a quick decision, I tell her, _I’m going to come up behind you and lay my hands on you._

_Why_ , even her inner voice is starting to strain.

_You and I are going to finish the shield. I’m going to feed you my power._

_But you don’t have the same kind._

_Doesn’t matter_ , I told her as I came up behind and laid my hands on hers.

I opened myself more to her and she gasped as she glimpsed more of my mind and at the energy I’m pouring into her.

_You’re losing it, Raven. Focus._

I felt her redoubling her efforts and I looked over her shoulder to the shield. It was moving again, faster than it had been. It started to pick up speed and I could start seeing some inconsistencies.

_Slow down, Rae. You’re moving too fast and are beginning to make mistakes. Fix it. Now!_

She took a shuddering breath and forced herself to slow down

_Good girl. You’ve got this. I have faith in you._

_It’s hurting, Nyx._

_I know, baby. I’ve got you. I’m not gonna let you go._

_Promise?_

_Promise, sweetheart. I’m not going to let anything happen to you._

The ¾ mark passed and I felt her sag a little. I caught her around the waist and slid my arm underneath her shirt to maintain the physical contact. Her body reacted to the touch there, but we both ignored it. I fed her more energy and she stood up a little straighter. Whenever she faltered or her power level dipped too low, I’d feed her more energy.

We were coming up the last part and her muscles were trembling, her body soaked with sweat.

_Okay, we’re coming up the part where you and I have to really work together. You’re going to slide the shield down to where I’ve set the anchor points. Can you feel them?_

_Yeah._

_Good. You’ve just passed the top of the last set of towers. You’re at the border. That’s it. Just drop the shield…you’re doing real good. We’re almost done. That’s it. Just a few more feet…you got it._

By this time, I’m holding her up completely. Her pulse is rapid and her breathing shallow. I fed even more energy to her and her body absorbed it like a sponge. I continued the feed as she stopped the shield at the anchors.

_You did real good. Real good. Okay, this is the final step. Are you ready?_

_No._

_Well, we’re going to do it anyway. The section from the top of the towers to the anchor point need to become sticky, tacky. I’m going to do the same with the ward. Then you and I are going to push the shield and ward together, sealing it. We’re going to start here and then we’ll press inward in a clockwise motion. Once to initiate the seal. A second time around I’m going to add some oomph and we’ll be completely sealed. Then we need to hold onto the seal until the Commanders create the entrances. Once that’s completed we can finally let go. You’re going to do it exactly like I’m going to do it, at the same time.  
Take a deep breath, and now…_

She followed my lead. The shield and ward became tacky and using a mental thumb and forefinger we start pressing it closed. This was really time consuming because we had to move slowly, excruciating slowly. There could be no gaps or bubbles. It felt like hours by the time we finished the first round. I add the extra kick, think of a welding torch, and as we moved around again, the “torch” sealed it up behind completely. As soon as we came back to the beginning, there was this humongous crash and my ears pop like a thousand times and my hearing distorted.

“Seph. Now,” I yelled over the crashing sound, and I couldn’t hear if she responded.

I’m focused solely on the border and at the same time, the entrances we made and there’s another crash and silence erupts.

_Raven, is the shield good? Can it let nature flow through it?_

_Yes. Nyx, I’m scared. I’m so tired. Can I let go, now?_

_Yes, Rae. Let go slowly. That’s right, just like that. You’re almost out. There. You’re out._

As soon as I said those words, her mind shut down and she collapsed, unconscious, in my arms. I fed her more energy to her own power and healed her body from the strain. I extricated my mind from hers and lifted her in my arms. I look around the room and everyone’s looking at me expectantly.

I grinned slowly and said, “It’s done. We’re safe.”

Cheers erupted and everyone started congratulating one another. I slipped out of the chaos and carried Raven up to my third floor room. I undressed her, leaving her in a shirt and a pair of shorts I had lying around. I checked her over one more time and then tucked her in. I closed the window blinds and turned on the bathroom light, closing the door just far enough that a thin beam of light fell across the bedroom.

I closed the door quietly behind me and said to my guard, “I’ve called for a guard member to come up and watch the door. One of you will stay here until they arrive. I want to be notified immediately when she wakes up. Do you understand?”

“Yes, _de Pakstoka_ ,” one of them answered and took a position by the door.

I walked back downstairs, the long day slowly catching up to me, and headed to the kitchen. Halfway to the kitchen I was greeted with loud music and happy voices. I followed the noise until I stood just outside the wide open kitchen doors. Somehow, in the time that I had gotten Raven settled in my room to now, a huge celebration had started up. Looking over the crowd, I saw my pack intermingling with the Manassas pack and I smiled. This felt so right at the moment and I let myself have the moment. We were safe and in typical pack fashion, we celebrated like we did with all victories.

I felt someone come up on my side and turned my head to see that Tommy was approaching me with a couple of beers in his hands. He offered me one and I took it gratefully and drank some.

“Is Raven okay,” he asked after I’d taken the drink.

“She’s fine,” I replied, smiling up at him. “She’s resting and recovering. She did us proud today, Tommy.”

“I, I’m glad she’s doing good,” he said, nodding and smiling. “Some o’ them said that she collapsed after the warded shield snapped inta place.”

“She did, I’m sorry to say. She pretty much ran herself dry, but I made sure that she didn’t hurt herself. You know I’d never let anything happen to y’all if I can prevent it.”

“Yer good like that, Nyx. Hey, did you, um, you know?”

“Kiss her,” I said and looked over to see him blushing and hiding his face. “Yes. I think she’s got it outta her system now. I also pushed her fully and firmly into your direction.”

He looked at me in surprise and asked, “Why’d you go and do that fer?”

I laughed, “Chill, cuz. She likes you. A lot. She’s scared. Specifically, of our lifestyle. If ya wanna take her out on dates and want not, ya gotta go easy on her. Don’t be telling her tales of your past conquests or anything like that. Ya gotta focus on her, but at the same time not pressure her, ya know?”

“In other words, treat her like mama raised me.”

“And for all that’s holy, be honest with her. When you’ve got that itch coming, let her know beforehand and let her know that you don’t expect her to have sex with you unless she’s absolutely ready. And promise that you’ll come back. You’re gonna have to do most of the work, Tommy. She’s been hurt in the past and she’s leery of opening herself up to those feelings again.”

“I’ll remember that, Nyx,” he said and hugged me. “Thank you for taking care of her.”

“Tommy, I always take care of family.”

His eyes widened in surprise and a smile crept on his lips and said, “Imma hold you to that, cuz.”

“I’m sure you will,” I said, chuckling. “Now, go. Have some fun. We deserve this. You deserve this.”

He clapped me on my shoulder and said, “So do you. Mingle with your people. They need to see you out here with them.”

“I will, but first I gotta find me some fucking food.”

He laughed, “I figured. There’s a stack of them in the kitchen oven. Seared like you like them.”

“Oh, thank god,” I exclaimed and left him laughing at my retreating back. 

I walked back inside and opened the oven door. The sweet delectable aroma of barely seared meat wafted up and I inhaled deeply as I grabbed the plate and dropped it on the table. Sitting down, I was already biting into my first steak. I moaned in pleasure as the flavor erupted in my mouth. I quickly devoured it and just focused on my beer and my steak.

“Damn, Sis,” Seph said as she came in from outside, “You’d think you hadn’t eaten in days not hours.”

“Shut up, Seph,” I said around a mouthful of food. “I’m fucking starving.”

“There were like twenty steaks in the oven,” she said, sitting down across from me.

I looked down at the plate and saw that I maybe had five left, “Ya sure there were twenty?”

She nodded, “Yes, Cora specifically counted that many out and set them aside for you.”

I took a huge gulp of beer and replied, “That was real nice of her.”

“Yeah, well, she’s taking her duties very seriously. She’s definitely the right choice as your successor.”

“I have to agree. She’s even got you toeing the line,” I said smirking.

“It’s kinda strange,” she said as she leaned on the table, “As soon as the power transferred, it’s like she all of a sudden became more. She carries herself like she’d been training for this since she was born, instead of only being Second for less than 48 hours.”

I nodded, “It’s the power. It changes you a bit. Everything that makes you the Second, amplifies. Outwardly, you’re calm, confident, sure of yourself, authoritative. Inwardly, you could be screaming your head off because you have no idea what the fuck you’re doing.”

“Even you’ve changed,” she said looking at me.

“For the better, I hope,” I said with a smile.

“Definitely,” she replied. “You’re calmer, centered, there’s no wasted energy.”

I chuckled, “I’m calmer, huh?”

“Yes. Since you got here, there seemed to be an undercurrent of rage that was always present. It’s not there. Being de Pakstoka has been good for you.” 

I thought about that and she was right. I felt calmer. More in control of myself. I always had a bit of wildness about me. Usually, Lexa had been the only one to control that.

“You’re right. I do feel a lot calmer. Maybe it’s the power. I can’t approach situations like I usually do. I have to keep my cool when I deal with idiots and handle things with more finesse.”

“Lexa’d be proud of you.”

“Do you really think so, Seph,” I said, feeling a little uncertain suddenly.

She nodded, “Yes. Sis, you have done the pack proud. You’ve come up with a way to keep us safe. You took out the bad guys. Saved lives. You’ve proven yourself time and time again. Regardless, if you’re de Pakstoka, Second, Enforcer, or just Nyx, you are one of the greatest people I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and you’re my sister.”

“God, when did you become so smart and grown up, Seph,” I asked, looking at her as if I was seeing her for the first time. “You’re just as incredible, Seph. You know that?”

“Thanks,” she said, blushing. “It’s just unbelievable that you keep telling me that and yet it’s still surreal every time.”

“It doesn’t make what I say any less true,” I said. “Now, that’s enough maudlin stuff tonight. We have a celebration to attend. Shall we get drunk off our asses?”

She grinned, “Yes we shall.”

We got up and rejoined the party. At some point, someone built a bonfire in the middle of the backyard and people started to show off what they could do with their powers. I stayed back and and enjoyed the show. Someone tugged me backwards and I felt arms encircle me. I turned around in their arms and found Scarlett. She leaned forward and kissed me deeply. I lost myself in the kiss and as the music slowed, I slow danced with her. She felt so good in my arms and I was so happy that she was a part of my life. I was lucky and I never wanted to let her go, ever. It was that moment that I knew. One day she would be mine and I would be hers. Just like I knew that Dani would one day be mine as well. 

I led her back into the house, slipping silently away. When we reached the bedroom, I showed her and bared my vulnerabilities to her and worshipped at her feet. We fell asleep wrapped tight around one another, exhausted and Loved.


	57. Nyx

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I just posted the last two chapters, but it being Sunday and all, I’d thought I’d give you two more. Enjoy.

I woke to someone waking my desire and when I opened eyes, Scarlett was there and waiting. I pulled her to me and we started all over again. This time when I woke, the sun was streaming through the windows and Scarlett lay in my arms, beginning to wake. I reached behind me and felt nothing. I frowned not finding Clarke.

“She’s not leaving Lexa’s side, Nyx,” Scarlett whispered when she noticed my frown.

“Is she at least eating,” I asked.

“I’m making sure of it.”

“We need to get her out of there for awhile,” I said, sighing.

“She’s afraid that if she leaves, Lexa will wake up alone.”

I shifted and sat up, “Dani?”

“No change,” Scarlett replied. “I’m really starting to worry.”

I kissed her and said, “Now that the shield is up, I can focus on bringing her back to us.”

“If anyone can, it’s you,” she said as she nuzzled my neck and nipped me where where shoulder met neck.

“Mmm, God you don’t know how much I want you to do that, Scar,” I whispered.

She sat up abruptly and looked at me awed by my declaration, “You do?”

“Yes, I want to be yours, Scarlett, and I want you to be mine. I don’t ever want you to leave.”

“I’m _Sofstepa_.”

“I don’t care. I don’t care about what you shift into. I didn’t fall in love with your panther. I fell in love with you, _niron_ , and I’m not pressuring you. I want to claim you _and_ Dani.”

She straddled my lap and brought my face to hers. She kissed me and I could feel hot tears sliding down her cheeks.

“Scar, baby, why are you crying,” I asked as I searched her eyes.

“You want me,” she whispered.

“I do. Heart, body, mind, soul. I want you, my beautiful Southern Belle. I need you in my life, _ai tombom._ My heart.”

She kissed me again with such tenderness, my own tears traced tracks down my face. Nothing was said for there were no more words that needed to be said. We made love and it was like the first time all over again.

 

“Scar, baby,” I said, waking her gently. “I’ve got to go and check on Raven.”

“Mm-kay,” she replied, sleepily.

I smiled as I got out of bed and showered. She was still asleep as I climbed the stairs. I knocked softly and opened the door. Raven was still sleeping and I could feel that she was still recovering. I left and went down to the kitchen to eat. I glanced outside and saw that they had already cleaned up any remains of last night’s party.

After breakfast, I walked to the bunker and I felt lighter than I had in ages. A small smile played on my lips until I reached their room. I went inside and found Clarke asleep in the chair next to Lexa. I picked her up and laid her on the spare bed. I’d take her out of here when I was done. 

Dani was beginning to lose weight in her face and I growled low in my throat. I took off my boots and jacket, sat her up and took the place of her pillow. I closed my eyes and laid my fingers on her temple. This time, I didn’t call for her. Instead, I searched for her memory of that night. I found it quickly and her fear and pain were thick, nearly all consuming. 

Some sound had woken her up and the next thing she knew, the floor exploded upward from under Lexa’s bed. She grabbed Lexa as they flew through the air and took the brunt of the explosion. I felt her pain as chunks of floor, bed, and glass tore through her body. It was hard to watch. She didn’t lose conscious as I had expected her to. She curled her body around Lexa as the floor dropped away and they fell to the first floor. The ceiling collapsed on top of them. Enough fell that Dani couldn’t protect all of Lexa. She finally lost consciousness and I felt her fear of dying having failed in her responsibility of protecting Lexa. She thought that she had failed me. Failed Clarke and Scarlett. The Pack. That was the predominant emotion over everything. Her fear that she had failed. It was a fear that I knew too well and I understood her desire to hide from the possibility that there was truth behind the fear.

I sent a prayer to Mother Earth, once more asking for guidance and began carefully eroding the pain and fear she felt to a level that comes from experience. At the same time, I shared my own fears about failure. Especially, my fear of having failed her and the guilt I felt for sending her.

I worked tirelessly showing her that her fears were my fears. That there was no shame in having them and that regardless of what happened, she hadn’t failed us or failed me. I worked at showing her that the pain she had experienced was no longer a pain that her body felt. I showed her images of herself, lying in the hospital bed, whole and healthy. I did everything I could to ease the memory and show her how much I loved her. How much we loved her. I did this over and over again as I felt her pain fade and her fears lessen.

By the time I was done working on the memory, I was crying. I felt vulnerable and lost without her. I wiped the tears from my face and got out from underneath her, laying her gently back down. I got back on her bed, underneath the covers with her and lying on my side, my arm holding her to me and my face nuzzling into her neck, fell asleep from the emotional drain.

I jerked awake and for a brief moment, forgot where I was, but then I relaxed as I remembered and looked down at Dani. The tension and pain lines had eased from her face and she looked more relaxed. I sighed and leaned down and kissed her briefly. It hurt that she didn’t respond, but I held onto the faith that she would one day kiss me back. I backed out of her bed, tucked the covers around her and got redressed. As much as I wanted to stay here, I couldn’t. The world didn’t stop moving just because I wanted it to. 

I looked at Lexa’s monitors and saw that there was a lot of increased brain activity. Clarke’s reading out loud and presence was proving extremely beneficial. I frowned when I saw Clarke was back in the chair and doing nothing more than holding Lexa’s hand.

Growling slightly, I asked, “Clarke, when’s the last time you ate or showered?”

She looked up at me startled like she hadn’t expected to see anyone else in the room.

“What,” she asked, clearly thrown off by the question and confused.

“Clarke, you haven’t left this room since yesterday. You need to take a break. Get some food in you, shower, and rest properly.”

She smiled, mouth trembling, and said, “Logically I know this, but I feel like that the second I leave, she’ll wake up. I want to be the first thing she sees when she finally wakes up.”

I went over and gave her a hug and said gently, “I feel the same thing about Dani, but if I can’t shirk my duties, neither can you, Clarke. Come with me back to the compound, please.”

She looked up at me for a long moment and then nodded. She stood up and hugged me to her. I lifted her chin and kissed her.

“It’s just for a little while, Clarke,” I said. “You’ll know when she’s about to wake up through the bond.”

She nodded against my chest and taking her hand, I tucked it in the crook of my elbow, and we left the room. As we walked, we noticed that there seemed to be a change in the air. Our people seemed more relaxed and there were sounds of laughter reaching our ears.

“What’s changed, Nyx,” she asked, confused by the change.

“The shield’s in place and working perfectly,” I replied. “This is the first time that they have really felt safe.”

She looked up at me in surprise and said, “Even with humans still in the bunker?”

“Yes,” I said. “Even with the fact that the people of Clifton have been arriving in a steady stream.”

“How are they settling in here?”

“Don’t know yet. I still need to get with Cora and Seph over the reports.”

“How did everything go yesterday?”

“It went well. I had to establish a deeper link with Raven than I would’ve liked. When I checked on her this morning, she was still sleeping.”

“Is she at the compound?”

“Mm-hm, I took her up to my room. Since Dani and I are the only ones up there, it’s the quietest place in the compound.”

“Your room, huh,” she said with a small smile. “You sure that it’s not going to give her a complex.”

I chuckled and replied, “Only if she goes poking around my things.”

“Ah,” she said, “Nyx, how’s Dani?”

“I worked on her memory of the explosion this morning,” I said. “There was a lot of pain and fear.”

“Fear?”

“It wasn’t a fear that you develop after a trauma like that. You know like suddenly fearing loud noises that could mimic the sound of an explosion. It was an overwhelming fear of failure. She believed that she had failed everyone because she thought she hadn’t protected Lexa. So, as I worked on lessening that hold, I showed her that I felt the same way. That I felt that I had failed everyone too because I couldn’t see what was going to happen, even though I knew, know, that there was no way to foresee what was going to happen.”

“I think all of us deal with the same fear,” Clarke said, her voice contemplative.

“True,” I replied, as I opened the door to the compound for her, “I think it’s just that this was such a traumatic experience, it overwhelmed her. Kind of like the way I felt after I lost it. The thoughts are hard to shake.”

“But you stopped it from getting as bad as yours did, right?”

I smiled and said, “Yes, Clarke. I did. I don’t want anyone I love to go through something like that. Not while I can help prevent it or for as long as I can breathe.”

We walked into the kitchen and found ourselves alone. I sat her down at the table and got her a cup of coffee. I made us something quick but filling, a thick bacon and potato soup. We were probably halfway through our meal when one of my guards interrupted us.

“ _de Pakstoka_ ,” the guard spoke and bowed to me.

“What is it, Collin,” I asked him.

“There is a human that wishes to speak to you,” he said with his lip curled in disgust.

“Collin, that _human_ is Councilor Bellamy Blake,” I answered sternly. “I would suggest you correct your attitude before I find something distasteful for you to do.”

He blanched and apologized, “My apologies, _de Pakstoka_. I did not know.”

“I’m not the one you need to apologize to,” I said standing up. “And if you do not know the members of the Manassas Council by sight now, I suggest you have your eyes corrected and your brain examined.”

“Yes, _de Pakstoka_.”

“Escort him to my office and offer him refreshments,” I said as I picked up my bowl. “First thing in the morning, report to Lincoln for your punishment.”

He bowed deeply and replied, “Yes, _de Pakstoka_.”

“Dismissed.”

He bowed again and walked quickly away. I washed my bowl and set it on the counter to dry. Clarke got up and handed me hers and I washed that as well.

“You okay,” she asked me.

I looked at her in surprise and replied, “Yeah, I’m fine. Why’re you asking?”

“Oh, I thought that maybe, you know…”

“That I’d be more upset,” I asked with a crooked smile.

She blushed, “Well, yeah. You’re usually a bit more hot tempered.”

“I know I usually am. Since becoming de Pakstoka, I seem to have become a lot more calmer.”

“Is it the power,” she asked as she looked in my eyes.

“I think it is. It’s showing me how to maintain a healthier balance between my emotions. I’ve always run hot in temperament. If something didn’t go my way the way I want it to, then I’d, well, you know.”

“Show everyone how much more powerful you are then them,” she said with a quirked eyebrow.

I chuckled, “Yeah, but it’s really strange, because I only feel that way here. In Olde Towne, I turned off my emotions and did my work coldly, calculatingly, efficiently. I come back here and I’m back on and I fall into old habits.”

“Yeah, but neither are those are very good. You can’t run either hot or cold.”

“I’m realizing that now,” I said and leaned over to kiss her. “As much as I love waxing poetically with you, Bellamy’s waiting for me and you need to shower and get some rest. Do not go back and see Lexa until you come and talk to me first, okay?”

“There’s nothing to talk about, Nyx…”

“Yes, there is. Now please go take care of yourself for a little while. I can’t lose you, too.”

She looked in my eyes and saw the fear I felt and she nodded. She kissed me again and headed upstairs. I sighed and headed to the office. When I went in, Bellamy was looking around the room, not really paying attention to anything.

“Sorry, Bellamy,” I said as I came in. “I had to make sure Clarke wasn’t going to go running back to the bunker before she had a chance to rest.”

He looked up at me in surprise and said, “Is everything alright?”

I indicated to him that he should take a seat around the coffee table while I got some water and said, “Yes and no. Lexa’s still not awake but her brain activity shows that she could wake any day now. Clarke doesn’t want to leave her in case she misses her waking. Which in turn means that she’s neglecting her own duties.”

“Kane seems to be handling that well enough for now. Even O is starting to figure this stuff out,” he said with a half smile.

“That’s good,” I replied, “It’s actually good that Kane’s helping out. Since he’s been a part of a leadership before, it gives Octavia a chance to learn from him. But, that’s not why you’re here, is it?”

“No,” he said and set his glass on the table. “I got a chance to speak with the various department heads that are living within the bunker.”

“How did that go,” I asked, giving him my full attention.

“It took me a while to get them to understand that you were serious about allowing my people out of the bunker to work on a wider range of projects. Once I got them convinced, they wanted to know what they’d get out of it.”

I leaned back and said, “Ah. That’s the crux of the situation. What would they get out of it outside of some additional freedom and doing the work that they were trained to do.”

“I couldn’t give them any answers and they pretty much told me that they’d be willing to listen if I came back to them with something that was worthwhile.”

I got up and paced the room for a little while as I thought about it. Bellamy waited patiently for me to come up with something.

“Do you think they’d be willing to work alongside my people?”

“I did ask them that if we did let them out of the bunker would they try to harm the Apex.”

“What was their answer?”

“They are more afraid that the Apex would harm them instead of the other way around. They’re also afraid that if they try to defend themselves if something does happen, they’ll be the ones that will face punishment.”

“Which tells me that watching the Six had a very large impact on your people,” I said looking over at him.

He nodded, “It did. Now, they are afraid that they will be treated the same way if they leave the bunker.”

“That is a very understandable fear,” I said and sat back down. “Listen, Bellamy, Lexa and I have written a law that we’re using Manassas as a testing ground. We’re not giving them more rights, but the law gives them more protection against abuse. If an Apex is caught mistreating a human physically than they’re going to be severally punished. If it’s rape, the punishments are more severe. We can’t change the attitudes of our people overnight, so I’m afraid that the emotional and verbal abuse is harder to keep from happening.”

“You and Lexa created a law to protect humans from physical abuse, including rape,” he asked, clearly surprised. 

I lifted a corner of my mouth in a smile and replied, “We did. We’ve never really been cruel to the humans that work for us, but there’s always been mistreatment of that kind. Currently, there are no repercussions in regards to physical abuse on humans besides compensation to a slave owner if the abuse deprives them of human labor. This law changes that.”

“So, how would that work here?”

“Right now, the law only pertains to the guards’ interactions with your people. Once the residents of Clifton have arrived, those with slaves will also be held accountable under this law. I know that it will difficult to see any kind of changes in the five months we have left, but I’m at least hoping that this will help my people to start thinking about how we treat humans. Like with all laws, it takes a long time to see the impact it has on a community at large.”

“Why did you do this,” he asked with a hint of suspicion.

“The truth,” I asked and he nodded. “Clarke. If it wasn’t for her, our most likely answer would be to hold a special slave market and sell your people to my people and probably to those outside our territory, excluding Ice Pack.”

“Clarke’s the only reason why you’ve created this law?”

“Bare knuckles down, yes, but it’s also because we watched what happened to the Six. In life, you don’t see how your actions or attitudes affect someone unless it’s happened to you. Until the Six, we never even thought about what happened to the humans after we’ve come across them. Now, we do and it’s not such a great feeling to see the pain and suffering that we’ve caused.”

“So, this was as much a learning experience for you as it was for my people?”

“Yes, but let’s turn this conversation back to the matter at hand. Would your department heads be willing to have a sit down with me to discuss creating a more diverse workforce besides keeping everyone fed?”

“I believe so,” he said, nodding to himself. “I’ll speak with them. May I tell them about the law?”

“You may,” I replied. “And let them know that their safety relies on my safety. If they have any ill intentions coming into that meeting…”

“They won’t live long to regret it and my people will suffer for it.”

“It’s the way it is right now. They’re wary of us, we’re wary of them. Bellamy, I’m de Pakstoka and I’m essentially putting my life on the line to sit down to this kind of meeting. If anything happens to me while Lexa is still recovering, the power goes to Cora. She’s barely begun her training as Second and there’s no way she’d be able to handle becoming de Pakstoka or leading a pack. If that happens, our safety bubble becomes a war zone. Which means that your people become casualties.”

“I understand,” he said. “Thank you for speaking with me, _Pakstoka_.”

I smiled slightly and replied, standing up, “Your welcome, Councilor. Please let Cora or Seph know if they agree to the meeting. They’ll set it up.”

He stood up as well and replied, “I’ll make sure to do that.”

We shook hands and he left the room and the compound. I went and poured myself a stiffer drink and headed over to the desk to look at the reports. I replayed the conversation over in my head as I worked on the reports and I felt that it had gone well. I hoped that I had shown Bellamy that I wasn’t someone that arbitrarily threw out platitudes to get what I wanted. That I honestly wanted this to work.

Cora and Seph came in some time later and we finished the reports. We took the opportunity to train Cora in her responsibilities as a Second. It was a long afternoon, but I felt that it was most definitely a productive one.

 

I opened the door to my room and I was met with a flurry of activity. There were people in my room boxing everything that was either mine or Lexa’s.

Anger surged and I yelled out, “WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!”

The activity came to a halt as everyone looked at me fearfully. One man stepped forward trying to seem unruffled by my outburst, but failing massively.

“ _de Pakstoka_ ,” he said, “We are removing your belongings to more appropriate lodgings. Staying here breeds familiarity with a pack under your leadership.”

My anger built to a simmering rage and I felt a surge of power then a metallic weight in my hand. I looked down and found a sword in my hand. I stared dumbly at it.

_Well, that’s new._

I turned my attention back to the man and noticed that everyone had taken a step back. Smiling maliciously, I raised my sword and pointed at him.

“Under whose authority are you acting under,” I said, quiet rage coating my voice.

I watched as he swallowed and then seemed to gain some confidence back and replied, “The Council, of course.”

“Oh, of course,” I said sarcastically and stepped further into the room. “I didn’t realize that the Council had higher authority over de Pakstoka. I mean, that is what you are telling me.”

His eyes widened in fear and he could no longer hold his façade, “No, no of course not, _de Pakstoka_. You are the head of the pack and they follow you.”

I nodded, “Good to know that I still control the pack. Now, I will only tell you this once. Place everything back where it was and I mean exactly where it was. After that, return to your rooms immediately.” I stepped threateningly towards the man who was now cowering, “And you will report to Lincoln for guard training. You are no longer in whatever position you held. Do I make myself crystal clear?”

He suddenly smelled of piss and I wrinkled my nose in disgust as he bowed and replied, “Perfectly, _de Pakstoka_.”

I nodded and said, “And clean yourself up. You disgrace yourself and your bloodline by pissing on yourself.”

He bowed and I turned and abruptly left, heading down the stairs two at a time.

_Seph, Cora on me. Now._

_Is everything alright_ , Seph asked.

_No._

_We’re on our way. Meet you by the gate._

_Good._

Next I addressed the Councilors.

_Council members, Council room. Now! Each of you better be in that room before I get there or you will lose your head._

There were a hurry of aye’s and I closed off my communication with them.

I didn’t slow down as I crossed the gate, but Seph and Cora fell in quickly beside me.

“What’s going on,” Seph asked.

“The Council has over stepped their bounds,” I said, quietly seething. “They decided that I needed to be relocated without my authority.”

“Why would they do that,” Cora asked. “And where’d you get the sword?”

“According to the _planhaka_ that was supervising the packing, the suite that I am staying in is not appropriate for _de Pakstoka_. That it breeds familiarity with packs that are under my Leadership.”

“Manassas Pack hasn’t signed the Accords, so how are they yours,” Seph asked, her voice betraying that she was starting to get angry.

“I’d like an answer to that, too,” I replied. “And apparently I learned a new trick. I seem to now be able to summon swords when I’m enraged.”

“Yep, that’s a new trick,” Seph replied.

I stormed into the Council House and sent servants and aides scrambling to get out of our way. My guards quickly ran ahead and opened the doors for us. The Councilors stood around talking to one another in confusion. They turned as one when they heard the door open and eyes widened in fear.

“Sit. Now,” I commanded and they immediately obeyed.

I strode to my place at the tabled and slammed the sword, point first, into the table. The blade had sunk deep enough that an inch of the blade could be seen from underneath.

I took a calming breath so I could speak clearly and said, “I’ve just come from the compound where I have discovered that my suite was being packed up without my authority or knowledge. Would any of you care to explain this grievous invasion of my privacy?”

They looked at one another and Councilor Stevens spoke up, “ _de Pakstoka_ , it is in your best interest that you remove yourself from the Manassas Pack House.”

“In my best interest,” I said. “And you are an authority of my interests?”

“No, _de Pakstoka_ , I am not,” he said, trying to remain calm. “You have decided that Manassas is the temporary capital of the Forest Pack. As such, you are duty bound to remain distant from your packs outside of your own.”

“Oh, is that so, Councilor,” I said, my eyes narrowing. “I did not know that _Pakstoka_ Blake had signed the Accords and falls under my Leadership.”

“No, they have not, _de Pakstoka_ ,” Councilor Richards replied, “But it is just a formality.”

“A formality, you say? Then why do I not have a representative, here in this room, of the Manassas Pack?”

“That is because they have not signed the Accords,” Councilor Gardner replied matter-of-factly.

“Interesting,” Cora said. “What you are telling us is that they are a Forest Pack member, but are not allowed a say in how the Pack is run. That they have no authority, but still must obey our laws.”

“Yes, that is what we are saying.”

“According to our _laws_ , they are under no obligation to _follow_ our laws, only that their _Pakstoka_ be respectful of their host pack. We are in the process of wooing, for lack of a better term, her into signing the Accords. As such, according to our _laws_ , the liaison, which is the three of us, is strongly recommended to stay with the potential pack in order to breed familiarity and instruction into Pack Life.”

“This gives the potential Pack member an opportunity to get to know the Leadership and give them a chance to come to an informed decision,” Seph said.

“What this tells me, by your very actions, is that you believe the Council is above the law. That you may disregard any law you wish in order to do what you want,” I said, having sufficiently cooled myself down. “This makes you lawbreakers and because you are Council members, by law, I am allowed to disband the Council if I so wish.”

“Now see here,” Councilor Salinas said, standing. “You cannot disband the Council over this little incident. We understand that we may have overstepped our bounds, but that gives you no right to be so hasty to judge us lawbreakers.”

I let my Power unfurl just slightly and replied, “I have no right?! You have been a hinderance to Our plan to bring Manassas under our Leadership from day one. You seem incapable of coming up with a viable solution that gives them the one thing that is holding them back from signing the Accords. Now, because of my _familiarity_ with them, I am now getting an inkling of a solution that could possible benefit the entirety of the Pack. And since, I have you all here, I will tell you one thing. I have been informed by Councilor Blake that the humans are becoming more restless and are beginning to fight amongst themselves. The reason behind this is because they have only been allowed them to ensure that Manassas has enough food to carry them over. The humans wish to do more along the lines of what they were trained for. The more specialized jobs that require skill instead of strength. I have decided to try and gain a meeting with their department heads in order to alleviate their restlessness and give us an opportunity of allowing our mages to move on to more important projects.”

“You cannot put yourself at such a risk, _de Pakstoka_ ,” Councilor Adamson said. “We cannot guarantee your safety.”

“I am not at risk and you know this, Councilor,” I replied, my anger starting to rise again. “And once more you are overstepping your boundaries. The only person that should ever be concerned with my safety is my Second, who is quite capable of keeping me safe if the need arises. If I do not show these department heads that I place myself in their trust to remain unharmed, how can I get them to trust me that no harm will befall them or their people.”

“By having this meeting,” Cora said, her voice icy. “We are telling the humans and the Manassas Council that we are willing to help them in the things that are important to them. The weres and mages are nearly fully trained. The only exceptions being those that were cured from the neurotoxin. The entirety of Forest Pack is completely sealed off from invaders, giving us the next five months to gain their full trust and sign the Accords.”

“Which means that I can give the necessary information to the Coalition when I have to go to them in order to deal with my contract. Killing several birds with one stone,” I said. 

“Now, you can either sit back in this House and remain nothing more than a doorstop or you can help us win them over,” Cora said. “If not, then you know the repercussions of your inactions.”

“You now know where we stand,” I said. “I suggest that any more thoughts of my inability to know what’s right for me or this Pack, you either shove them up your ass or bring them to my Second, who will then decide to shove them up your ass or pass it on to me. This will not happen again.”

I pulled the sword out of the table with ease and we left the Council in stunned silence. We didn’t speak again until we were safely back in the compound and in the kitchen.

I reabsorbed the sword as Seph went down into the wine cellar to find something more appropriate to drink besides water or juice. When she came back, it was a bottle of my favorite whiskey and she poured us each a generous amount before placing the bottle in the middle of the table and sitting down.

I took a sip and rolled the whiskey around in my mouth before swallowing it. I sighed and leaned back in my chair and waited patiently for one of them to speak.

“That was fucking amazing,” Seph said as she beamed a smile at me. “I have never seen a room radiate fear like that.”

“They were afraid because I called them out on their actions,” I said, taking another sip. “I don’t think they believed that I had enough of a backbone to stand up to them.”

“That was the overall impression I got from them before you started speaking,” Cora replied. “When you slammed your sword into the table, they knew they were in trouble and tried to talk themselves out of the hole they had dug.”

“I am proud of the way you handled yourself in there, Cora,” I said, giving her a smile. “You spoke with authority and weren’t swayed by who they were. I also loved how you used the law to call them out in their dealings with the Manassas Pack.”

She blushed under my praise and replied, “They were being fucking idiots. Thanks to your notes and the Law book Becca gave me, I’ve become well informed of how to handle the idiocy. They would have been talking in circles if we couldn’t shut them down then and there.”

“Which is what a Second does when a situation is going nowhere,” Seph said. “If the Pakstoka is getting ignored in her objections or explanations, the Second is supposed to back her up even if they don’t necessarily agree with her. Then in private, the Second can voice their opinion and they can then hash it out.”

 _Nyx, it’s Dani. Something’s wrong with her_ , Scarlett said abruptly in my head. _Her vitals dropped drastically. I’m doing everything I can to stabilize her._

I quickly sent my healing down my bond with Dani at the same time as I ran out of the compound. I made it to their room in record time and made my way quickly over to Scarlett.

“Talk to me, Scar,” I said as I looked at Dani’s vitals.

“I don’t know what’s going on, Nyx,” she answered, fearfully. “One minute she was fine, the next everything dropped. There’s minimal brain activity, almost like it’s shutting down.”

“Fuck,” I replied and quickly kicked off my boots and jacket.

I got up in the same position as last time and dove into Dani’s mind. I searched her mind for some clue, some reason as to why this was happening. What I saw was terrifying. I was met with nothing. No memories, no resistance, no feelings, nothing.

“She’s fucking locked herself so tightly away, that her brain thinks that her soul is gone,” I said out loud.

“Can you find her?”

“The bond’s still here, so I should still be able to find her. When I tell you to, Scar, create a link with me and follow me down. I’m going to need help.”

“You got it, sugar.”

I concentrated on the bond and I followed it for what seemed like hours before I finally came to a wall. She was somewhere behind it. I started pounding on the wall.

_Daniela Marie Rendon, open this god damn door! Do you fucking hear me! Your body is fucking dying!_

There was no response, so I blasted the wall in front of me and it ricocheted the blast back at me, nearly breaking my link with her.

_You fucking bitch! What the hell do you think you’re doing?! I will not stand idly by and watch you fucking kill yourself! If you wouldn’t allow me to die, I sure as hell am not going to give you the same privilege. Now let me in!_

I placed my hands against the wall and pushed, sending out telepathic waves of energy. I felt it give a little and I pushed harder.

 _Sonofabitch_ , I grunted when I couldn’t push further.

“Scarlett, link with me,” I said aloud.

She didn’t answer me, but I felt her link up with me and soon she was by my side.

_What do you need, hon?_

_Real easy, Scar. We need to push._

She placed her hands next to mine and on the count of three, we pushed with everything we had. It was working, but less than a snail’s pace. We kept at it for so long that I was starting to feel the strain physically, but we didn’t stop. We couldn’t. This was our bondmate, the woman we loved, the woman I wanted to make mine. I didn’t save her just to lose her.

 _Something’s happening_ , Scarlett said as we felt a huge give in the wall.

_We got this, Scar. Just don’t stop._

_Never._

We redoubled our efforts and the wall suddenly exploded inwards and we fell forward. We’d found her. She was curled up in a fetal position and we did the only thing we could do, we ran and wrapped our arms tightly around her. I felt her stiffen and try to push us away, but we weren’t going anywhere. We held on to her, until we felt her relax.

 _Thank Mother Earth we found you_ , Scarlett said. _Of all the pig headed, stupid shit you have ever done, this is by far the worst._

_And that includes the time you triple dogged dared me to run through the Celibacy Club’s annual picnic. You got me in so much trouble and the club lost nearly half it’s members._

_Wait, what?!_

_Dumbass, here, thought it would be funny to test their willpower against my pheromones. Really, didn’t help that I was curious to see what would happen._

I felt her body tremble slightly. I hoped it was because she was laughing at the memory.

Scarlett noticed and asked, _What else did she convince you to do?_

_There was that time when we snuck into Old Towne and she bet me a week’s salary that I couldn’t convince a guy to have sex with me._

_Who won._

_She did. I was so bad at it that I couldn’t keep my distaste of the man from showing. Nearly started a bar fight that time._

Her body trembled again and we shared a smile.

_Though I did get her back for that one. I doubled the bet and said that there was no way that she could go three weeks without having sex._

_How long?_

_Four days._

Scarlett laughed and I felt Dani’s body sigh.

_Dani, I could keep telling Scarlett about all your embarrassing moments, like that time you got drunk and made out with the Capitoline statue, Becca’s prized dairy cow, and two male members of her guard detail._

We heard a small groan come from her, so I pressed on.

_Then there was the time you thought it would be funny to try and seduce Ms. Evangeline in trying to get a better grade in Art Class. Didn’t work and you had to spend two weeks being a model for her honors class. God, some of those works were horrendous, like that freaking painting where you looked like you were made out of a sponge with tongues coming out of every pore. That shit gave me nightmares for weeks._

Her groan was louder this time and I snickered, but her body had relaxed more.

 _Dani, can you look at us, please_ , I asked as gently as I could. _We miss you like part of our souls are missing._

 _I can’t_ , she answered, her voice so low that I could barely hear it.

 _Why can’t you, baby_ , Scarlett asked.

 _Lexa’s dead. I couldn’t save her_ , she answered and curled tighter into herself in shame.

 _Lexa’s alive, Dani. You did save her when you threw yourself over her, my brave, sweet girl_ , I said and stroked her back. _She’s fine. She’s fully recovered._

 _Oh, that reminds me_ , Scarlett said to me. _She woke up briefly tonight._

 _Finally_ , I said, _but now it’s going to be three times as hard to get Clarke to leave her bedside._

_She’s alive? She woke up? Clarke’s here?_

_Yes, sweetheart. We would never lie to you. Never. We love you too damn much. We don’t want to lose you. You’re too damn important to us beyond the bond._

_How much_ , she asked, her amber eyes peek at me.

 _So much that I want to claim you, ai keryon_ , I confessed.

_Claim me? But I failed you._

_You didn’t fail me. I failed you. If I just could’ve figured out what had me so worried, so frightened, you and Lexa would have never been hurt. But I couldn’t and I nearly lost the two most important women in my life. I could have lost you. I don’t think I could’ve survived losing you._

_You couldn’t have known_ , she said, lifting her head. _There was no way you could have known._

_I know that, but I feel so guilty for putting you in danger. For not protecting Lexa better. I failed to protect you, Dani._

She reached out and laid a hand on my face and I felt myself lose it.

_God, how could you ever forgive me. I can barely forgive myself._

_Nyx, there’s nothing to forgive. You did everything you could with just a feeling._

_But it wasn’t enough._

She uncurled herself and wrapped her arms around me and said, _I swear to you it was enough, love._

_Do you really believe that?_

_I do._

Scarlett wrapped her arms around both of us and we held each other for a long time.

I lifted her chin and looked at her, _Dani, will you come back with us? Your body is whole. All that’s missing is you._

_Whole?_

_Yes, whole_ , I said, smiling at her. _Of course, you just can’t jump out of bed and run around chasing women. You have to rebuild your muscle strength, babe. And you know, we’ll be there every step of the way._

She laughed at my small joke and looked at Scarlett, questioning.

 _Yes, sugar_ , Scarlett said. _We want you back and we will never let you go without a fight. She’s right, you’ve got a long road ahead of you to get your strength back up and we’ve got the time to do it. I have a confession to make too, Dani. I want to claim you too. I was beside myself when Nyx told me what happened. Couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything. I got here as fast as my buggy could carry me. It was all because I couldn’t bare the thought of losing you. You are a part of me, Dani._

_You want to claim me, too?_

_Yes, my love. I want to claim you as much as I want to claim Nyx. The three of us are just part of one soul, but you are under no obligation to say yes. We will always love you no matter what._

_So, what do you say, Daniela? Will you come back with us? I need someone to get into trouble with_ , I said.

 _And I need someone to help me keep Nyx from working too hard_ , Scarlett replied.

She looked at us for a long moment and then said, _I suppose I must. If I don’t, who the hell is going to keep an eye on both of you._

We hugged her tight and I said, _Let’s go then._

We made our way back out, letting go of our telepathic link. When I opened my eyes and looked down, I was met with the most beautiful sight I ever imagined. Dani’s gorgeous amber eyes were looking back at me. I gave her a tremulous smile and she raised a shaky hand up and cupped my face. That simple action and I broke down in tears. I leaned down until my lips brushed hers.

When I leaned back, her own tears leaked down the sides of face. I looked up and Scarlett was laying on her chest, her body shaking with sobs.

“Thank you,” I whispered to Dani.

She nodded and I just had to kiss her again, more fully. She kissed me back and I felt her hand encircle the back of my head. Someone laid a hand on my back and I looked up to see Clarke with tears in her eyes. I sat up and pulled her to me in a hug.

“Hey, can I get some love, too,” Lexa croaked, making us laugh.

Clarke went back to her and Scarlett got up and gave Lexa a long, lingering kiss. I smiled at Lexa, but I didn’t move.

“You should go to her,” Dani said, her voice raspy from disuse.

“I’m right where I need to be, my soul,” I answered. “You are the most important thing to me in this moment, forever more.”

She sighed contentedly and closed her eyes. I stroked her head until I felt her fall asleep. I stayed a while longer and then slowly got from under her. Immediately, pins and needles stabbed through my lower body and I collapsed onto the floor. Scarlett ran over to my side and helped me up and walked me around until I got feeling back in my legs, both of us laughing and crying.

Lexa was still awake and I went over and kissed her. She laid a hand on my face and I leaned into it, closing my eyes.

“You saved us,” she whispered.

I opened my eyes and said, “How could I not? You two mean the world to us. There was no way I was going to let you die. Not on my watch.”

“You’re _de Pakstoka_.”

I nodded, “I am and I’m trying to do my damndest to make you proud. You’re a tough act to follow.”

She chuckled and it turned into a cough. I raised her up and Clarke helped her drink some water. I laid her gently back down.

“How long?”

“Like six days,” Scarlett said.

“What happened?”

“Not tonight,” I said. “You need your rest. I need to make sure you’re not going to have a breakdown before I tell you. I’d do it now, but I’m too fucking tired and hungry.”

“Are you going to let me stay tonight,” Clarke asked, worried that I’d say no.

“Yes, you can stay tonight. We’ll move the other bed next to Lexa’s so that you can be closer together,” I told her, “But, but, you have to come back to the compound for breakfast by 9 or I carry you out of here.”

Her eyes widened at the threat and she said, “I’ll be there.”

“Good,” I said and went to the other side of the curtain and pushed the bed over to Lexa’s. 

I put my boots and jacket back on and kissed Lexa and Clarke good night. I waited for Scarlett and we left arms around each other’s waist and walked back to the compound. That night there was no love making, just the two of us holding one another until we fell asleep.


	58. Raven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song is Black Vultures by Halestorm off of their Vicious album

_*I’m on fire, I’m a fighter_   
_I’ll forever be the last one standing_   
_Black vultures circling the sky_

The sound of music woke me up and I covered my head with the pillow, trying to drown it out. It didn’t work and I made a noise in annoyance and threw the pillow off of my face.

_*I’m on the edge of the war_   
_I’m holding on and hanging by a thread._   
_I’m the edge of the storm_   
_And you haven’t seen the last of me just yet_

Where the hell is that music coming from, I thought to myself as I looked around the room, but I couldn’t find the source. It must be coming from from somewhere close by. I got up and then it dawned on me that I did not recognize the room. Where the hell am I?

I walked over to the window and looked out. I found myself overlooking the back of the compound and could see some of weres running the obstacle course. I also noticed that I was pretty high up in the house, third floor. The only two people that I knew lived on the third floor were Dani and Nyx.

That’s when I remembered the shield and I staggered back at the memory. We had just finished it and I think that I must have passed out. Nyx must’ve brought me up here to rest up and restore my power. God, how many days had I been asleep?

The music was still playing, so I opened to the door and was met with a guard. She turned at the sound of the door opening.

“Ma’am,” she said and I bristled slightly at being addressed by the title. “You’re awake.”

I nodded curtly and said, “I am. Do you know where the music is coming from?”

“Music?”

“Yeah, music,” I said starting to grow confused. “Sounds like a rock song.”

“There’s no music, ma’am,” she replied, her eyes filling with concern.

“So, you don’t hear it?”

She shook her head, “Does it sound like it’s more in your head or are you hearing it with your ears?”

I looked at her in surprise and cocked my head to listen and said, “It’s in my head. Why am I hearing music in my head?”

“You’re looking a little pale, ma’am. Let me help you sit down,” she said and guided me back to the bed and I sat down.

Suddenly, the music stopped, making me stick my finger in my ear and wiggle it around as I was met with silence.

“The music stopped,” I said, looking at her with a touch of fear.

“I don’t know what that means, but I’ve just called for _de Pakstoka_. She’ll be up here shortly.”

“Thank you,” I replied and laid my head in my hands. “What’s happening to me?”

She kneeled in front of me and took my hand gently in her hands and searched my face, still concerned, “I don’t know, but she’ll be able to help you. Just hang on.”

I nodded and I realized that I had enjoyed the way she held my hand. I closed my eyes and my heart started to beat faster. Was I attracted to her? I looked at her closer and I saw that she was rather pretty for a woman. I groaned at the implication.

“Ma’am, is the music back?”

“No,” I replied. “I was thinking about something else.”

I wasn’t about to let her know what I was feeling. I snapped my head up and she turned her head at the sound of pounding footsteps coming up the stairs. She automatically stood up and looked like she took a defensive stance. The footsteps slowed down before Nyx appeared in the doorway and my guard relaxed and moved to the side.

“What’s going on, Dee,” she asked as she came into the room and she looked between Dee and me.

“Ms. Raven woke up and said she was hearing music in her head,” she answered.

“Rae,” Nyx said and came to sit next to me. “Do you still hear it?”

I took a sharp inhale at her close proximity, but answered, “No. It stopped right before she told me that she had called for you.”

Her face showed confusion and I could tell that she was thinking about something.

“Do you remember what was playing in your head?”

“Yeah, a rock song.”

“Do you remember any of the song?”

“I remember something about a vulture and being on the edge of war. Why?”

She blushed and then smiled before she turned to Dee, “She’s alright, Dee. I know what’s going on. You can go and let Lincoln know that we don’t need a guard anymore.”

“Yes, _Pakstoka_ ,” she said and with one last look at me, she left.

“You know what’s happening to me?”

_You and I are still telepathically linked, Raven_ , she said and I was stunned when I didn’t see her mouth move.

“Say what again,” I said in surprise.

“How much do you remember when we put up the shield?”

“I remember that I passed out once the shield was in place.”

“Do you remember anything that happened prior to that?”

“I was linked with Monty and Ben. They were feeding me their power as I worked on the shield.”

She nodded and asked, “Do you remember what I was doing at the time you were building the shield?”

“Um, you were linked with me to keep an eye on me.”

“Right. I telepathically linked with you to help guide you. When Ben tapped out and broke his link with you, you nearly lost the connection. I deepened our link because you were just about to start using your life energy. So, I started feeding you my raw power to keep you alive and finish the shield.”

“You made our link stronger to keep me alive?”

She nodded, “And fed you enough power to start filling your well back up enough that you could safely do it on your own. I must not have ended the link completely before I caught you after you passed out.”

“If that’s the case, why couldn’t I hear you before today?”

“Probably because you were still recovering and your brain was focused on the recovery. It took a lot out of you.”

“The music,” I asked, curious now.

“Me singing along in my head to the song while I was working with my swords,” she said, sheepishly.

“So that was you singing?”

“Yeah,” she answered with a small smile.

I took a moment to compare the singing to the way she sounded in my head and came to the conclusion that they matched.

“You sing beautifully in your head. Does your voice match,” I asked with a smile.

She blushed prettily and said, “If you’re asking if I can sing, yes, I can. Haven’t done it in a while, though.”

“Wow,” I said and leaned back to look at her more fully. “What can’t you do?”

“Um, anything that has to do with a computer that’s more complicated than putting in some simple commands. That’s one of the reasons why I hired Ben.”

“Is that the only thing you can’t do,” I asked, chuckling.

“No,” she said, smiling. “There’s more things that I can’t do, but that’s the first one that popped in my head.”

I suddenly had images running through my head of Nyx failing at several things. The one that stuck in my mind was her failing spectacularly trying to ride a horse.

“You can’t ride a horse,” I blurted out, chuckling.

“Shit,” she said, “Sorry. You were not meant to see that, but yes, I can’t ride a horse. My backside was black and blue for a month and I couldn’t sit down without a cushion for two weeks.”

“Can you hear my thoughts,” I asked, worried about what I’d just felt about Dee.

Her smiled widened and I knew that she could definitely read my mind, “Yes. It’s a two way street. I promise that I won’t tell Dee that you find her attractive.”

I laid my head in my hands, embarrassed, “Please don’t and don’t tease me about it.”

“I won’t,” she replied, “Want me to get out of your head?”

“Please,” I whined.

“No prob. I’ve got to put my hands on your temples.”

We shifted so that she could reach my temples without leaning into me. She laid her hands on my temples feather light and I involuntarily closed my eyes at the sensation.

“Sorry,” she said. “I forgot that my touch has that effect on you. I could help you ease that desire you’re feeling.”

“Shut up,” I said as I shivered at the feeling. “Just get it over with.”

“Alright,” she chuckled, “I’ll behave.”

She became quiet and I could feel her gently enter my mind. She must have found what she was looking for and slowly I could feel less and less of her until I couldn’t anymore. I opened my eyes when she took her hands away and I frowned slightly at the loss of her touch.

She smiled a bit crookedly at my frown, “Can you feel me anymore?”

“No,” I answered more glumly than I had wanted to let out. _Can you hear me?_

“Then my work here is done,” she said.

“Wait,” I said, grabbing her arm before she could move. “How may days have I been out?

“Only a couple of days. The shield is showing no signs of instability. Your work was impeccable. You did real good, I’m proud of you.”

“You’re proud of me,” I asked, surprised.

She lifted the corner of her mouth in a smile and said, “Yes. You’ve never done something this big and you haven’t been using your power for long. It was impressive.”

I blushed and looked down, “I think it’s only because I had help.”

She took my chin with a couple of fingers and lifted my head so that I had to look at her and said, “Don’t downplay your role in this. Yes, you had help, but it was all you. You created it. You built it. All we did was feed you power to get it done.”

I removed her hand from my chin and held it as I placed our hands in my lap and said, “Thank you, Nyx. For everything.”

She shrugged my comment off and said, “Your welcome, Raven. I’m glad you’re okay. Clarke would’ve killed me if anything had happened to you.”

I chuckled, “She would’ve.”

“Well, now that you’re good, I’m going to go and take a shower,” she said and stood up. “I’ve got to check on my people and see how they’re settling in.”

“Alright,” I replied. “Thank you again.”

“Your welcome, again. Make sure you get something to eat before you leave.”

“I will,” I replied. “Hey, why’d you take me to your room?”

“Third floor is the quietest and safest,” she replied. “I wasn’t comfortable putting you in Dani’s, so mine it was.”

“I think you were feeling a little possessive,” I joked.

She gave me a wink and said, “Maybe. I’ll see you later.”

She left, leaving me alone. I sat back down on the bed and took a moment to think about what I wanted to do. There was nothing at the lab that I needed to take care of. Then I remembered Tommy had mentioned something about a vehicle that he was having difficulty with. I smiled to myself, working on a something other than computer code sounded like bliss. I made a decision that after I ate and showered, I’d head over to his garage and see if I couldn’t figure it out. In fact, I was looking forward to spending some time with Tommy.

I left the bedroom and practically skipped down the stairs in anticipation.


	59. Clarke

I was still eating breakfast when Raven came down with a smile playing on her lips. I got up and gave her a hug.

“It’s about time, sleepy head,” I said as I sat back down. “You’ve been out for, like, ever.”

“It was only a couple of days, Clarke,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Nyx said that it took more out of me than she expected.”

“Nyx’s already talked to you,” I asked.

“Yeah, I woke up with a bit of problem and the guard that was assigned to keep an eye on me called her.”

“Oh,” I said curiously. “What kind of problem?”

“I woke up to hearing her singing in my head,” she replied as she made something with eggs and vegetables.

“You heard her singing in your head,” I asked, confused.

“Yeah. When we were working on the shield, she had to establish a telepathic link with me. Towards the end, she had to establish a stronger link. She didn’t have enough time to end it properly when I passed out.”

“Did she take care of it?”

“Yep, no more Nyx in my head. Just me.”

She finished making her breakfast and I saw that it was an omelette. She joined me and poured a large glass of juice.

“So, besides that, how’re you feeling,” I asked as I scooped up my runny egg with a piece of toast.

“Good,” she replied. “Totally fine.”

“That’s good. Lexa and Dani are awake.”

She smiled and replied, “That’s a heavy weight off of everyone’s shoulders. I know how worried you were about Lexa.”

“Yeah, reading to her helped her wake up. Nyx and Scarlett had to help Dani wake up. Her body was beginning to completely shut down. She hidden herself so well in her mind that her brain thought that she was no longer there.”

“They caught it in time?”

“Yeah, they did,” I said, sounding relieved. “It was very emotional for the three of them.”

“Emotional for you too, right,” she said, curiously.

“Yeah, but the three of them have become really close. Nyx and Scar want to claim Dani.”

Raven’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline in surprise and asked, “They do?”

“They both confessed their feelings to me,” I replied, feeling slightly guilty for telling her this. “Though I don’t know where Dani stands. She loves them, us, but I don’t know if it’s that deep.”

“I guess time will tell. How about you and Lexa? Any thoughts like that, roaming around in your head?”

I blushed and replied, “I don’t know. We’re still getting to know one another. I love her and I think it goes beyond the life bond, but I’m still trying to sort out my feelings.”

“That’s okay,” she replied and laid a hand on my own. “Luckily we have some time to figure shit out.”

“Yes, we do and I’m really grateful for it.”

Nyx came into the kitchen and headed straight to me and kissed me, “Good, you’re still here.”

I smiled up at her and said, “I am. I came back like you told me to.”

She chuckled, “I’m sure it had nothing to do with me carrying you back here over my shoulder.”

I blushed and replied, “No. Lexa kicked me out of the room.”

They laughed and my blush deepened and Nyx said, “You were hovering, weren’t you?”

“I wasn’t hovering,” I said, defending myself.

“Yeah, right,” Raven snorted and I glared at her.

“How’s Dani,” Nyx asked as she got out a piece of steak out of the fridge and seared it before she joined us at the table.

“She’s doing well, I guess. She’s waking up for short periods of time. Scarlett’s with her.”

She nodded, “That’s good. Staying awake tires her out. Soon both Lexa and Dani will be able to stay awake. When they can do that, we’ll start on their physical therapy.”

“What are we talking about?”

“They’re going to have to learn to walk again and using their hands again. I had to regrow a lot of their muscles and whatnot. They’re like infants learning to hold themselves up on their own and crawling. It’s going to take a while and we don’t know if they’ll ever get back their full range of motion.”

“What does that mean,” Raven asked.

Nyx looked at her and replied, “It’s possible that they may never regain their full strength, agility, or speed. I’m not saying that is what will happen. A lot of it will be determined by them. How hard they want to push themselves.”

“How do you know about all this kind of stuff,” I asked.

“When I nearly died after Gustus tried to kill me. Besides healing my mind enough that I didn’t want to die, Mother Earth had to help me recover physically. It’s why it took me a year to fully recover. Some of my scars are deep enough that I can’t do everything I used to.”

“That sucks,” Raven said.

Nyx shrugged, “I learned how to adapt to my restrictions.”

“Well, they’re in good hands if you and Scarlett will be helping them,” Raven said.

Nyx grinned wickedly, “And neither of us are willing to back down from a challenge.”

“You think it’s going to be a challenge,” I asked, worried.

“Oh, yeah,” she replied. “They’re stubborn. There’s going to be whining, crying, screaming, things thrown. I might have to put inhibitors on them to keep them from using their powers on us. They can both get vicious sometimes.”

Raven shuddered, “Thank god, I don’t have to deal with that.”

“Yeah,” she replied. “You just have to put up with Tommy.”

Eyes wide, she asked, “What do you mean?”

“Oh, just that Tommy can act like a baby sometimes when something’s not going the way he wants. It’s a Caster thing. You’ll be fine.”

“Seriously?!”

Nyx laughed, “He’s not that bad. You may actually put him on his best behavior. He likes you too much.”

She blushed and said, “Oh.”

“Hey, Clarke,” Nyx said, turning her attention to me. “I’ve got to go and check on how my people are settling in. Would you like to come with me?”

“What about Lexa,” I said. “She needs me.”

She sighed, “Yes, she does, but it’s not going to kill either one of you to be apart for a little bit. We’ll be done by mid-afternoon. Come on, it’ll be fun.”

I thought about it and realized it would be a good idea since eventually Lexa and I would be a permanent couple and said, “Okay. I’ll come with you.”

She grinned hugely and planted an exuberant kiss on my lips, “Thank you. You’re awesome and I’ll even take my bike.”

“You’re going to take me on your bike,” I asked excitedly.

She laughed, “Yes. It’ll be faster to move around the city.”

I hopped up with excitement and cleaned my dishes and turned back to her, nearly bouncing on my feet, “Okay, when ever you’re ready.”

Nyx and Raven shared a look and laughed. She got up and rinsed out her glass before she took my hand and led me to the garage.

She rolled the bike out and started it up before she helped me on. When we started moving, I squealed and wrapped my arms around her waist tightly. I heard her laugh over the sound of the bike and we slowly made our way to the first set of houses.

We were met with pleasantly surprised faces as we moved along. I met a lot of people and they seemed genuinely happy to greet me. We’d spend several minutes chatting with them and inquiring if they needed anything. Some of them did and I knew that Nyx was somehow keeping track of their needs in her head.

We came to a larger building that looked like it had once been a school. She pulled up in front of the doors and a woman came out to greet us.

“Where are we,” I whispered.

Nyx replied, “We’re at the orphanage.”

“Orphanage?”

“Yeah. Sometimes kids lose their parents and there’s no one that can take them in. They come here and there’s about a dozen caretakers who make sure that the kids know that they’re loved and not alone. I’ve yet to encounter a kid here that’s resentful of this place.”

“ _Pakstoka_ , what a wonderful surprise that you’ve come to pay us a visit,” the woman said, her voice melodious and pleasant.

“Annie,” Nyx said and gave the woman a hug, I felt a stab of jealousy but it quickly faded. “It’s so good to see you again. I would’ve never pictured you working here.”

Annie laughed and replied, “We do have to grow up some day.”

“Well, I’m glad it’s you. If anyone knows the signs of troubled kids, it would be you.”

“Thank you. I’m glad I got my life turned around,” she replied and then turned to look at me and said, “And who is your friend here?”

“Ah,” Nyx replied a tad sheepishly, “Annie, I’d like you to meet Clarke Griffin. She the Manassas Chancellor and Lexa’s chosen.”

Annie held out her hand and I shook it and she said, “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Chancellor.”

“And yours, Annie, but please call me Clarke,” I replied. “I’m still getting used to being addressed as Chancellor.”

She smiled brightly and replied, “Of course, Clarke. I can certainly understand that. I can tell that Nyx, here, cringes when ever she’s addressed by _Pakstoka_.”

Nyx grinned and said, “I am. I have to fight not to turn around and look for Lexa.”

“How is she doing, by the way,” Annie asked as she escorted us inside.

“She’s doing well,” Nyx said. “She finally woke up yesterday, so she’s still sleeping a lot.”

“I’m happy to hear that. We’ve been worried about her and Dani,” she said.

“Dani woke up as well,” I said.

“That’s great news. Dani always made time to come here and visit with the children. Even helping train the ones who are air mages.”

Nyx laughed, “That sounds a lot like Dani. Always helping the little guys.”

“Though sometimes,” Annie said, chuckling, “She can be more of a handful than the children. They miss her.”

“Well, I’m sure as soon as she’s able to, she’ll pay y’all a visit.”

“That’d be wonderful.”

We walked into a classroom and stood in the back watching the children. They were so eager and it made me smile.

“What are they learning,” I asked quietly so that I wouldn’t disturb the class.

“Algebra,” she answered.

My eyes widened in surprise and I asked, “How old are they?”

“Around ten. We have a system that we’ve set up that allows the children to advance at their own rate. It’s worked out very well.”

The teacher turned away from the chalkboard and asked for silence.

“ _Pakstoka_ , welcome,” the woman said.

“Thank you. It’s a pleasure to see so many bright and eager students,” she replied.

The children all turned to look at us and I felt a blush creep up as they stared at us.

“Class,” Annie said, “This is Nyx Allistar. She’s _de Pakstoka_ until Ms. Devereux gets well. And this is Clarke Griffin. She’s the Chancellor of Manassas.”

“Is Ms. Devereux going to be okay,” one of the children asked, a little girl with intense gray eyes.

“Yes, she will be,” Nyx answered her with a smile. “I know that you’ve all missed her weekly visits. She misses them as well. When she’s well enough, she’ll pay you a visit.”

The class cheered loudly and it brought tears to my eyes seeing them so happy to hear that Lexa would be okay.

“ _Pakstoka_ ,” a young boy asked. “Would it be okay if we sent her get well cards?”

“Of course, it would. I’d know that she’d love to see them. Might even speed up her recovery. That’s a wonderful idea, young man.”

He blushed and ducked his head.

“We’ll let you get back to class, Ms. Crosby,” Annie said. “We’ve taken up enough of the class period.”

The children groaned and I laughed. Ms. Crosby brought the class back to attention and the lesson started up again. Annie escorted us out of the room and further down the hall.

“What kind of classes are taught here,” I asked curiously.

“Just about everything you can think of,” she replied. “From the basics to what would have been called college courses. Same as what they’d learn in a normal school environment.”

“Why aren’t they there?”

“Many of the children have suffered traumatic experiences and they don’t do well in as stressful an environment as our schools. So, they learn here where they’re among others that are dealing with the same issues. All of us are trained to deal with any problems that may arise.”

“Wow,” I said. “That’s fantastic.”

“Thank you.”

“Are all the children in class right now?”

“The majority of them are. We have a few therapy sessions going on plus training sessions. Some of them are learning skills that they’re geared towards. We try and give them as much as we can so that when they turn 18, they can leave here with confidence.”

“That’s excellent to hear, Annie,” Nyx said. “Is there anything that you need?”

“Well, this place isn’t quite up to code yet,” she answered. “Not all the plumbing or electricity works. Then there’s the roof. It leaks into the attic. We’ve set up a drainage system so that it doesn’t rot the floor anymore than it already has.”

Nyx nodded, “That’s easily fixed. I’ll make sure it’s a priority.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” Annie said, surprised. “I know how busy all the mages are.”

“The children are more important than anything else we have going on. I’ll make sure the problems are fixed, even if I have to come down here and do it myself.”

“That’s very generous of you, Nyx,” she said, her voice barely contained her pleasure.

Nyx stopped in the middle of the hall and laid a hand on Annie’s arm, “Annie, if you want to call it generosity, that’s fine. That’s not why I’m doing it. This is important to me. I’ve seen way too many orphans outside of our border and it broke my heart. I couldn’t help them, but I can help ours. Just don’t make a big deal of it, okay?”

Annie nodded, “Thank you, Nyx. It’s really good to have you back home, where you belong. Many of us have missed you terribly.”

Nyx quirked an eyebrow at her and asked, “Even you?”

She chuckled, “Yes, even me. Even after all those times you went after me for bullying someone. I realize now that I needed that.”

“And look at you now. Now, it’s your turn to protect the little guy.”

Annie shrugged and then her face turned speculative, “Nyx, maybe you could help me right now.”

“What do you need help with?”

“About five months ago, one of the patrols found a young girl wandering in an area of Shenandoah Valley that had been ravaged by a fire. When they investigated the area, they found two skeletal remains that we believe were her parents. It looked like they were the ones that stopped the fire.”

“Okay, so what’s going on with the girl,” she asked, her voice already showing concern.

“She had turned wild. She remained in human form, but it was like she’d lost her mind to the wolf. We’ve been able to make some progress, but it’s too difficult for us alone to help her with what she needs.”

“Take us to her,” Nyx said authoritatively.

“You’ll help?”

“When have you ever known me not to help, Annie,” Nyx said. “Take us to her, please.”

Annie nodded and we started climbing stairs that took us up to the third floor and down a hallway until we came to a single door.

“We’ve had to keep her separate from everyone,” Annie explained as she unlocked the ward and the door. “She’d proven too hostile to be near any of the other children.”

“Does she have a name,” I asked.

“She does, but she won’t tell us,” she answered.

We entered the room slowly so that we wouldn’t spook the girl. I looked around the room and found her in a far corner underneath something that resembled a tent. Nyx sat down on the floor and we joined her.

“Why are we sitting on the floor,” I asked quietly.

“We’re placing ourselves at her level,” she replied. “It’s less threatening. Just sit there quietly. We can’t be impatient. She’ll come out when she’s ready.”

“Nyx,” Annie said, “I’m going to leave you guys to it, if you don’t mind. I’ve got some things to take care of.”

“That’s fine, just ward the door on your way out. I’ll let you know when we’re done.”

“Thanks,” she replied and left, the door closing with a gentle snick.

I inched closer to Nyx, my eyes not straying from the corner and laced my hand through hers. She gave it a gentle squeeze, but remained quiet. Slowly, but surely, the girl started coming out of the tent. She eyed us curiously and seemed to let out some wolf sounds. She was young, no more than eight. She had wild auburn hair and piercing blue eyes. Her clothes hung on her loosely, like she wasn’t getting enough to eat. She also looked like she could really use a good bath.

She came closer and started sniffing the air around her. Her eyes betrayed confusion as she continued to sniff.

“What is she doing,” I asked, still whispering.

“We don’t smell like the people here,” she whispered. “It’s confusing her. She’s trying to figure out if we’re a threat. Just stay calm and focus on how safe you feel with me.”

“Okay.”

She was halfway across the room when she stopped and stared intensely at us. Impulsively, I laid my head on Nyx’s shoulder and watched her through lowered lashes. She looked taken back by my action, but didn’t retreat. Instead, she moved closer and stopped again. Nyx took her arm and slowly extended it outward, palm down and laid it on the floor. The girl sniffed around again, her eyes going back and forth between us, trying to figure out what we were planning.

When we didn’t move, she came closer. Eventually, she came within feet of us and sat on her hunches. My nose involuntarily wrinkled as her smell reached me. She was definitely in desperate need of a bath. She hadn’t noticed because all of her attention was focused on Nyx. I couldn’t tell what Nyx was doing, but whatever it was, got the girl to reach out and tentatively touched her hand repeatedly until she rested her hand on top. 

Ever so slightly, Nyx started to turn her hand until they were palm to palm.The girl stared down at their hands and then back at Nyx. I felt her give a slight nod and the girl returned her attention to their hands. Her fingers slowly curled inward, making Nyx shiver unexpectedly and she stopped. When Nyx didn’t do anything, the girl continued to curl her fingers until she had only her forefinger out. She began tracing the lines of Nyx’s palm, which made her hand twitch. This time the girl didn’t stop and she held her hand and lifted it cautiously until she could sniff it. I watched curiously as the girl’s tongue darted out and touched each of Nyx’s fingertips, the back of her hand, and the palm. Her eyes peeked out from underneath her lashes and she quickly bit Nyx’s hand and shook it back and forth with her head. Nyx’s only reaction was to grip the girls head around her jaw and force the girl to let go of her hand. The girl quickly backed away and looked at her fearfully.

Nyx shook out her hand and examined it. I pulled it to me and did my own examination. The bite marks were not what I expected them to be. Instead of a human bite mark, it looked like a wolf’s.

“Are you okay,” I asked, still keeping my voice low.

“Yeah, stings like a bitch though,” Nyx answered. “I’m going to shift and try something.”

“Okay,” I replied and sat upright and scooting a little ways so that Nyx had room to shift. 

One minute Nyx the human sat beside, in the next it was her wolf. She turned to look at me and with a wolffish grin licked my nose. I swatted at her face and wrinkled my own.

“I hate it when you do that.”

_True, but you like it when I lick elsewhere._

I couldn’t help myself, I laid my head in my hands and shook it, “You are awful, Nyx.”

_But you still love me._

“Yes, now go and do whatever it is you’re planning to.”

She didn’t say a word and when I looked up at Nyx, she was cleaning the injured paw. The girl had moved further back when Nyx shifted and I could completely understand. Nyx was huge and completely black. She was intimidating. When Nyx was done cleaning it, she laid it lightly on the floor like it pained her to put weight on it. I briefly wondered if it really did hurt her that much, but then realized that she was playing at being wounded. She upped the ante when she whined at the girl.

The girl looked at Nyx in surprise and on all fours inched forward, low to the ground. Not like she was stalking, but more like she was showing remorse. Nyx whined again and let out a small yip. The girl stopped and looked up at Nyx. They looked at each other for a bit of time and Nyx whined again. The girl began to advance slowly, occasionally looking up at Nyx. She stepped forward slowly and limped closer to the girl, making her stop. She then stopped and sat down and waited on the girl to make the next move. The girl continued to crawl forward until she was within a foot of Nyx and hesitantly reached for the paw. When she neared it, Nyx jerked the paw away like she didn’t want the girl to touch it. They did this a couple of times before a look of determination surfaced on the girls face. With one swift move, the girl had Nyx’s paw and made her yelp in pain. She looked up at Nyx and then turned her attention to the paw. She turned it over this way and that, examining it. I could see a few drops of red dotting the fur and pads. There was a sudden flash of light and Nyx jerked back next to me and sat there shaking a little bit.

_Girl’s got a strong healing power, Nyx told me. That fucking hurt. She’s completely untrained._

“Here, let me see,” I said and held out my hand.

Nyx laid her paw in my hand and I felt around it and turned it over to inspect the bottom of her paw.

“It’s healed,” I said.

Nyx nodded and laid down. She belly crawled towards the girl, who stood stock still. When Nyx was about a foot and a half away from the girl, she unexpectedly rolled onto her back and exposed her belly. It looked like she was inviting the girl to scratch her chest. The girl didn’t move so Nyx leaned her head back and started playfully nipping at her. The girl smiled and reached out and started scratching Nyx on her chest. Her tail started thumping and swishing on the floor and one of back legs started to move like she was trying to scratch herself, too. I giggled and the girl looked up at me in surprise. She had apparently forgotten I was there. Nyx nipped at her arm when she stopped and she went back to scratching. 

I watched enraptured as the girl began to relax and was enjoying playing with Nyx. Nyx had rolled over and was continuing her play, bounding and pouncing, making the girl laugh. Nyx suddenly stopped playing and slumped on the ground and groaned. There seemed like there was a silent exchange between the two and Nyx licked the girl. Then she started sticking out her tongue and shook her head as she sneezed. Nyx got up and gently grabbed the girl’s wrist and tugged her towards the bathroom. The girl balked and smacked Nyx on the snout. Nyx growled in irritation, but let go of the girl. The girl ran and hid in her tent and Nyx went and pulled her out and all but dragged her to the bathroom kicking and screaming. Nyx did nothing more than drag her into the bathroom and left her. I don’t think the girl was expecting that because the screaming stopped. Nyx sat in the doorway and stared intently inside. I heard water running and I got up, stretching my legs out. The water stopped and I heard something rustling and then water splashing. Nyx sat there a while longer before she nodded and left the door.

Shifting as she walked back to me, Nyx started going through her pockets looking for something. When she found what she was looking for, she pulled it out out triumphantly and a smile crept over her face.

“What are you doing,” I asked her.

“You’ll see,” she replied and I saw whatever it was, start to morph and stretch until it resembled her wolf. She then heated it up until it was hard and then set it directly in the middle of the floor.

“You made her a statue of yourself,” I said, confused.

“Of course,” she replied. “She likes the wolf better than me. I figured it’ll hold her over until I can come back here and work with her more.”

“That’s sweet of you,” I said and hugged her. “You are a good person, Nyx Allistar.”

“I try,” she said and kissed me. “Come on, we’ve been summoned to Lexa and Dani’s room.”

“Is everything okay,” I asked, suddenly worried.

“Eh, I didn’t detect any stress or worry in Scarlett’s mind, so I think everything’s good.”

The door opened and Annie peered inside, “Is it time for you to go?”

“‘Fraid so, Annie. We’ve got to be going back. I’ll come back tomorrow or the next day and work with her some more.”

“Where is she,” Annie asked, searching the room.

“Taking a much needed bath.”

“How’d you get her to do that?! We’ve been trying for weeks.”

Nyx grinned, “She’s more comfortable with wolves than she is with us in human form. My suggestion, for right now, is that when ever you need to enter the room, like when you bring her meals, do it in your wolf form. Move slowly, and just place it in the middle of the room and then back off. Just lay there like you’re a mama and you’re waiting for your pup to eat. If she’s taking to long to come out, then you can go in and gently drag her out. She’ll kick and scream until she sees you’re serious.”

“Is that how you got her to take a bath?”

“Well, I played with her first and then when I got the summons, I told her I had to leave. Licked her, made a scene and dragged her to the bathroom. Sat at the door until she got in and started scrubbing.”

“That’s genius, Nyx,” Annie said as we stepped down the stairs outside. “I can’t thank you enough. You’ve done more today than we’ve been able to since she came here.”

“You can’t push her,” I said. “You have to show her like you’ve got all the time in the world and give her your undivided attention. That’s all that Nyx did, plus a couple of other things.”

“Oh,” Nyx said, “that reminds me. She’s got a real strong healing power. So, be careful if you injure yourself in her company.”

“We will. Thanks again.”

“It was my pleasure, Annie. I’ll see you tomorrow or the day after.”

“Okay. See you soon,” she said, waving bye as we left the orphanage and headed to the bunker.


	60. Clarke

“So, why’ve we been summoned,” I asked Nyx as we made our way down the bunker.

Nyx looked over at me and gave me a crooked smile and replied, “We haven’t visited today. It’s almost dinner time and they’ve missed us.”

“Seriously?! It’s almost time for dinner,” I said and smacked Nyx’s arm. “You said we’d be done by mid-afternoon.”

She held up her hands in defeat and said, “I’m sorry. That was my plan, I swear. I was not expecting to be told about a little wild girl.”

I sighed and brought Nyx closer to me, “You’re right. She’s something else, isn’t she? And you’re really planning on helping her?”

“I am and it’s not just because it’s the right thing to do. I know what it’s like to suddenly lose your family. To feel lost and fall back on the primal side of ourselves. She did it for self-preservation.”

“But she’s safe now,” I said, worried. “Why wouldn’t she open herself up more knowing that she’s safe?”

“Clarke, she spent five months in the wild,” she explained to me. “Alone. Suddenly, people find her and she’s taken away from the one place she’s made a kind of home in. Then she finds herself in a building with other children that she doesn’t know, and adults who give her a lot of attention and try to get her to do things she’s not ready to do. It’s been traumatic for her and because of the trauma you have to go slow. She’ll open up eventually when she’s ready.”

I shuddered at having the thought of ever having to go through something like that. To lose everything that meant the world to you and then thrust into some place that is absolutely foreign and strangers constantly coming at you. I’d probably act the same way, without the biting though.

“I can’t even begin to imagine having to go through what she has,” I said, leaning on her. “I want to help.”

“You do,” she asked surprised.

“Yeah, I do. I know I’m not a werewolf, but I think my being there might help her. You know, two people that aren’t pressuring her.”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea, niron. We’ll add visiting her to our schedules so that we won’t have an excuse to not be there,” she said, her voice getting excited.

I chuckled and gave her a squeeze, “Definitely.”

We’d reached their room and Scarlett got up and gave each of us a hug and kiss.

“Everything, okay,” Nyx asked as she made a beeline to Dani.

“You weren’t here when I woke up,” Dani whined slightly.

She chuckled and leaned down and kissed her.

“Yeah,” Lexa said. “Where were you?”

“Visiting our new residents,” I replied and kissed her.

“New residents?”

Nyx looked over at her as she settled beside Dani and replied, “After the explosion, I ordered the Clifton residents to relocate here temporarily until we could determine if Clifton was safe or if we move the capital.”

“Why would we move the capital,” Dani asked.

“The mansion was compromised, sweetheart,” Nyx said gently. “It’s gone and I don’t know if its safe enough to return or even if we want to return.”

“The mansion’s gone,” Lexa said, her voice breaking.

“I’m afraid so. The damage was too extensive.”

“It was my home,” Lexa said, devastated, tears started falling and I wrapped my arms around her trying to comfort her.

“Hey, hey,” I said and tilted her head to look at me. “We know. I’m so sorry. I know that you’ll never replace those memories, but we can make new ones. You’re home is with us, love.”

She nodded and pulled me closer as she cried into my chest. I rubbed her back and looked over at Scarlett and Nyx feeling helpless.

“You got the bastards, right,” Dani asked angrily.

“I did,” Nyx said and pulled her into a hug. “They’re dead.”

“Good. Who was it?”

Nyx sighed as she contemplated how much to tell them and with a nod to herself, she said. “Kilpatrick, Drovich, and Collins.”

“Drovich,” Lexa said, suddenly alert.

“He was actually trying to kill me, didn’t know that Kilpatrick was trying to kill both of us. They expected me to be there.”

“Collins?”

“Was part of Drovich’s assassination plot.”

“Drovich never did like you. Thought you were too powerful,” Lexa said.

“Which is why he conspired with the Ice Pack to get rid of me,” she said nodding.

“He did what, now?!”

“Hey, calm down, Lexa,” Nyx said. “It’s too early to go down that road right now. You’ve barely been awake, no way am I going to stress you out further.”

She sighed and resettled herself in my arms and replied, “You’re right. It’s just overwhelming and I can’t do anything about it. Not like this.”

“Look, I promise I’ll tell you when you’re stronger. Both of you.”

“You better,” Dani growled.

“So, how are the residents settling in,” Scarlett asked, effectively changing the subject.

I sighed in relief to move on to a safer subject and answered, “They’re still adjusting, but are settling in comfortably. Some of the houses still need some work and some of them need a few more everyday things.”

“I’ll start allocating more mages to help them,” Nyx said. “We also paid a visit to the orphanage. They miss the two of you fiercely.”

I saw Dani blush at the pronouncement and Lexa nodded and said, “I expect so. I miss them too.”

“And Annie told us, that you, Dani, are sometimes rather a handful,” I said, smiling.

“What can I say,” she replied, chuckling. “I can’t help myself when I’m around kids.”

“We also spent time with the wild girl,” Nyx informed them.

“You did,” Lexa said in surprise. “They wouldn’t let me near her and I really wanted to see her.”

“We did,” Nyx replied. “That’s where we were when Scarlett called me.”

“Well, give us the deets,” Dani said, her curiosity peaked.

“She’s very frightened by everything still. Instead of talking to her right off the bat and pressing her, I just sat there and let her do most of the work. She was curious about us because she didn’t recognize our scent and could tell that we weren’t staff members.”

“When she got close enough, Nyx let her examine her hand,” I said, taking up the tale. “Then the girl abruptly bit her hard enough to draw blood. Nyx didn’t really react, but shifted and played the wounded animal.”

“Then she healed my paw, but she used too much power and knocked me back. The girl’s a very strong healer, but she’s completely untrained.”

“I’d say she’s very strong if she knocked your ass back,” Scarlett replied with a chuckle.

Nyx shrugged, “It happens sometimes. Anyway, I got her to trust me enough that we started playing.”

“You played with her,” Lexa asked in shock.

“Yeah. I wanted her to know that I forgave her for biting me and that I liked her. Which, strangely, I do. Before we left, I had to force her to take a bath. That girl stank. It took everything I had not to curl my lip in disgust.”

“It was actually kind of cute when they were playing,” I said, smiling at the memory. “She even did the whole tail thumping wildly and air scratched when the girl started scratching her chest.”

Dani laughed, “Oh damn, I missed that. Ms. Cool and Reserved acting like a large puppy.”

“Look now,” Nyx said. “I had to show her that I was harmless. I can’t help it if I enjoy being scratched like that. You would, too.”

“Probably,” Lexa said, laughing. “But, it’s incredible that you were able to get through to her. They’ve been trying for months and all it took was an afternoon with you.”

“Nyx has a way with kids,” Scarlett said. “I don’t know how many times I saw her connect with them. It’s endearing.”

Nyx blushed and said, “Whatever. I’m just glad it worked.”

“Are you planning on seeing her again?”

“Most definitely,” she replied. “Clarke and I are going to make sure we pay her visits on a regular basis.”

Lexa looked up at me and asked, “You want to do this, too?”

I leaned down and kissed her gently and replied, “I do. I think it’s important for her to see that at least two people aren’t there to force her to adapt quickly.”

“God, I love how you’ve got a big heart.”

I smiled, pleased, and said, “Can’t help it. It’s just who I am.”

“One of the many reasons why I love you,” and then she asked Nyx, “So, the shield’s up, right?”

“It’s up and running perfectly. And, Dani, I win.”

“What now,” Dani asked, perplexed.

“You said that he’d go to the northern border and I said the eastern. He should make the eastern gate in a few days. So, I win.”

“We didn’t bet, did we?”

“No,” she replied chuckling. “If we didn’t or if we did, I don’t care about it anymore.”

She narrowed her eyes at her and said, “Who are you and what have you done with my Nyx?”

Nyx chuckled and replied, “I’m yours, huh?”

“Yes. Just like Scarlett’s mine and Lexa and Clarke. You’re all mine,” she said with determination.

“Damn,” she joked. “You mean, I’ve got to share.”

“Mm-hm, now kiss me,” she said with a grin.

She leaned over and gave her a very deep kiss. When she leaned back, Dani was breathless and couldn’t take her eyes off of Nyx.

“That good,” she asked with a smile and blushed slightly.

All Dani could do was nod and Nyx laid a hand on her cheek. Dani leaned into and closed her eyes and fell instantly asleep. She sighed and tucked her in before looking at the rest of us. I looked down at Lexa and saw that she had fallen asleep with a small smile on her lips. I leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek before I tucked her in.

Scarlett sighed sadly and said, “They’re going to be asleep for awhile.”

“Yeah, they are,” Nyx said quietly. “Come one, let’s get some dinner.”

“I could eat,” I said and got up.

We left the room and arm in arm, headed back to the compound.


	61. Echo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Echo is experiencing some growth and she’s learning that the Forest Pack isn’t what the Ice Pack made them out to be.

I was watching Cora spar with Nyx’s sister, Seph, when I heard the telltale footsteps that Niylah and Aiden were here. I sighed, placing the tablet down, and turned expectantly around. Thanks to them I wasn’t starving. They’d been visiting me on a regular basis and always brought food with them. It kept me from having to go out and hunt, which was getting harder and harder to do now that there was snowfall and we were in the lean season.

A few days ago, I had been woken up by the earth shaking. I had immediately gone to the tablet and searched the cameras until I found Cora. She was with Seph in the office and they looked like they weren’t concerned with the quakes. In fact, they didn’t even stop whatever it was they were doing. They were both on communicators speaking with the people in charge of the border gates, making sure that their people were well away from whatever was causing the quakes. That day, I learned that the Forest Pack territory had been completely shielded from anyone trying to get in. It was boring to watch, but I was impressed by the skill it had taken to build it.

Niylah and Aiden finally came into view and I saw that each of them were carrying sacks of food. My mouth began to water as the scent of fresh meat filled my nose.

“How are you doing today,” Niylah asked as she laid down her sack and sat on what I now called ‘Niylah’s Rock.’

“Honestly,” I said and she nodded. “I’m bored and curious as to what is exactly going on out there.”

Aiden chuckled and sat on another rock, “Well, we can certainly assuage your curiosity, Echo. The night of the solstice there was an explosion at the mansion in Clifton. Lexa, Dani, and Indra were severely injured in it. Nyx got them out of there plus the other survivors and brought them here. She also had the residents of Clifton move here for safety.”

I looked at him in surprise and asked, “What caused the explosion?”

“A bomb placed by a Coalition agent.”

“Why would they do something like that,” I asked in confusion.

“The Forest Pack is the steadiest and most powerful pack in the Coalition,” Niylah answered. “The Coalition was trying to get rid of the current Leadership in order to throw the pack into chaos even though we know that wouldn’t have happened. We don’t know the exact reason why they wanted that to happen.”

“Why wouldn’t it have worked,” I asked. “Most of the packs are in a constant state of influx over power struggles.”

“The roles of _de Pakstoka_ and Second are hereditary. If either Lexa or Nyx are gravely injured, the power goes to their chosen successor or a previous leader. In this case, Nyx became _de Pakstoka_ and your sister became Second.”

“My sister’s the Forest Pack Second?”

“Cora was adopted into the Allistars and chosen by Nyx to become her successor,” Aiden said. “Mother insisted on it.”

“Is it because she’s a null?”

“Part of it,” Aiden answered. “She’s now as powerful as the rest of the Allistars and because she’s, for all intents and purposes, an orphan. She’s also proven herself by her actions and attitude that she’s an extremely good fit into any of the families.”

“I remember hearing them talk about it,” I said. “Can I ask why they put the shield in place? Is it because of the bombing?”

“Not really. Thanks to your handiwork, from the Western border to the Northeast border became compromised. Leaving that area vulnerable to attack from the Ice Pack. There is a human that is making his way to the Eastern border that will try and get back in. He volunteered to be a spy for King Roan in exchange for Manassas. They also put it up to keep the Coalition from interfering with the pack.”

“Echo, how do you feel about being replaced,” Niylah asked.

I thought about it and being honest with myself, I was relieved, “If I was still working for King Roan, I would have been upset enough to kill the human. Now, I’m relieved that I don’t have to endure their cruelty anymore.”

“That’s good. Does that mean you’re starting to realize that the world isn’t like the Ice Pack?”

I shrugged and replied, “I know that the Forest Pack seems to be the opposite of them. They seem to genuinely care for one another, even if it means kissing someone that they’re not with. Which I still don’t completely understand.”

Aiden laughed and said, “It’s the fact that they all pretty much have open relationships with one another. If they’re in a situation that doesn’t allow them to be with their partner when the need gets too bothersome, they’ll find someone that’s receptive and willing to help ease it. In Nyx’s case, Raven became extremely confused as to why she was so attracted to Nyx. It was bad enough that she couldn’t focus on the things that she needed to do. Nyx gave her a taste and explanation as to why she was feeling that way.”

“Why was she attracted to Nyx,” I asked because I’d seen several of their guard follow Nyx with their eyes.

“Nyx gives off a strong pheromone that attracts women to her. She’s truly an anomaly in everything.”

“A pheromone does all that,” I said, shocked.

“Mm-hm.”

“So weird,” I muttered to myself.

“Do you have anymore questions or thoughts about what’s going on,” Niylah asked me.

“Just one,” I replied. “If Nyx is _de Pakstoka_ does that mean that Lexa’s dead?”

“No, she’s not. Nyx was able to save her and two other important people. She’ll remain pack leader until Lexa’s well enough to have it back.”

I nodded and said, “Why would someone not want to remain in power like that? I don’t understand her reasoning.”

“Nyx doesn’t want it because she is quite comfortable in her role as Second. It’s what her family has always done. They serve the Devereuxs faithfully.”

“You see, that’s another thing I don’t understand. How is it that those families have always been the leaders of the pack?”

“When the pack was first formed, they prayed to Mother Earth for someone that would always have the best interest in keeping the pack together peacefully. The answer were the Devereuxs and Allistars. They had already proven that when it came to dealing with the pack. They were always at the forefront making sure that everyone was safe when no one else came forward. They always had each other’s back. So, they were the logical choice.”

I sat there stunned for a minute as I realized that there was more to this pack than anyone could have imagined. It was well known that they were the most stable pack and only when the pack was threatened as a whole, did they ever do anything. I envied that. To be that protected. They also shared their wealth and food with their allies. It was so very different from the Ice Pack. They ruled with fear and took whatever they needed. They were polar opposites.

“I think that’s all the questions I had,” I said, my mind still taking everything in.

“Good,” Niylah said with a smile. “We’ll be on our way then. The food should last you another week and we’ll return then.”

“Thank you,” I said and really meant it this time.

“Your welcome, Echo,” Aiden said and stood up. “Until next time.”

I nodded and they left. I decided that I’d had enough at watching the tablet and took a nap. This time I dreamed of pleasant what if’s.


	62. Clarke

It was time to head back out to the orphanage and visit the wild girl. I hoped that we would learn her name today. I didn’t like referring her as that. When we pulled up in front of the building, we saw that mages were working on it. I smiled at seeing it. Nyx was fulfilling her promise to Annie and it made me feel good.

Annie came out and greeted us again then escorted us straight to the girl’s room. When we neared the room we could hear things being thrown around and the girl screaming.

“What’s going on,” I asked starting to feel slightly concerned.

“She’s mad that Blackie hasn’t been back to see her,” Annie replied.

“Blackie?”

She smiled, “It’s what she calls Nyx’s wolf, because she’s all black.”

Nyx sighed and replied, “Great, another nickname. Annie, can you key us into the ward, so that you don’t have to keep letting us in?”

“Sure,” she replied and placed her hand on the ward.

Nyx and I placed our hands on it and we were keyed in. We thanked her and unlocked the door. Nyx immediately shifted and I opened the door for her. As soon as the door opened up, she threw something at us. Nyx stopped it and placed it on the floor. Growling, she went up to the girl and swatted her, knocking her to the side. She went and stood over her and shook her head as she growled. The girl shrank back and Nyx stepped away from her.

I sat with my back to the wall and watched, wishing I could hear what they were saying to one another.

“Nyx, do you think you could link with me so that I can hear you two,” I asked.

Nyx looked over to me and nodded. I could suddenly feel a deeper connection with her.

_Better_ , she asked.

“Thanks,” I said and I could hear the girl apologizing.

_Stop_ , Nyx said to the girl, _I told you that it may take me a couple of days to come back here. There was no need for this outburst._

_I’m sorry, Blackie. I thought you would come yesterday and I got mad when you didn’t show up. Why didn’t you show up?_

Nyx sighed and replied, _Strikon, I’m the leader of the pack. I have to make sure that my people are well cared for. I also wanted to spend time with my bondmates that were hurt really bad a week ago._

_Your bondmates were hurt bad?_

_Yes. They didn’t want to wake up, but now they are. So, I spend as much time as I can to help them get better._

_I’m sorry._

_I am too. They are very important to me. And to Clarke._

_Who’s Clarke?_

_The woman who is sitting by the door. She is also my bondmate._

_You have three bondmates?_

_I have four. She is Lifemated to one of them._

The girl looked over at me curiously and I gave her an encouraging smile.

_She’s different_ , the girl said.

_She is. She’s not a werewolf. She’s a very powerful mage._

_What’s her power?_

_Why don’t you ask her. She’s linked to me telepathically, so she can hear you._

The girl looked at me and asked, _What kind of power do you have?_

“I’m a lightning mage,” I answered out loud.

Her curiosity got to her and she came closer to me and asked, _Can you show me?_

I looked over at Nyx and she nodded. So, I held out my hand and created a ball of lightning. Her eyes got big and she inched closer, like she wanted to touch it. I absorbed immediately and her face fell.

“I could tell you wanted to touch it,” I said gently. “If you did, it could have killed you.”

Her mouth opened out in a silent ‘o’ and she looked back at Nyx. Nyx nodded.

_Mama told me that I have two strong gifts._

“Oh,” I said, curiously. “Can I ask what they are, but please don’t show me.”

_I can heal and I can make fire, she said sadly. I couldn’t save my parents. It was my fault that the fire started._

Nyx came over to her and laid a paw over her shoulder and nuzzled her, _It was an accident, strikon. You probably got scared and it got out of control. Can you tell me why the three of you were in the valley?_

The girl nodded and said, _We were hunting. Our meat was low. We got two deer, but it was too late to head back. We made a camp and papa asked me to start a fire. I did, but I think I used too much power. It was huge and my parents got scared, which made me scared. Then whoosh, the fire spread. We tried to outrun it, but mama fell and papa went back to help her up, but the fire got to them._

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” I said, tears in my eyes. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

_I miss them._

Nyx laid down and the girl put her arms around her.

_Do you have people?_

_No. I have no one else._

_I’m sorry. We have a friend that lost her family a long time ago. She was taken in by another family. When she lost that family, I adopted her into mine._

She looked at her in surprise and asked, _You did?_

_My sister and I did, my mom still has to adopt her, but she’s family now._

_Do you think I’ll ever have a family again?_

_Yes. You are a good girl and someone else will realize it and adopt you._

_You think I’m good?_

“We do,” I said. “What you went through hurt you deeply. When you get better, everyone will see what we see.”

_You think I’m good, too?_

“Yes.”

_Blackie, how do I get better?_

_Well, goufa, the first thing you have to do is believe that it was an accident. You didn’t mean to because you weren’t trained in your powers yet. I’m guessing that you only showed powers shortly before it happened._

The girl nodded and Nyx continued, _Once you believe that, you can start work on your feelings. You feel guilty and angry and sad. You feel guilty because your dad asked you to start a fire and it was too big. You’re angry at yourself because it got out of hand and you didn’t know how to stop it. You’re sad because you lost the only two people that you loved unconditionally and now they’re gone. Am I right?_

_Yes. How do you know?_

_I can see into your mind, strikon. I’m a strong telepath and your feelings are very strong and it’s surrounding the memory._

_Can you make it go away?_

_I could, but it’s not right. You’ll lose the lesson._

_Lesson?_

_Yes. You won’t remember why it’s bad for someone that does not have control over their power and are untrained in how to use it. I can lessen the hold that your memory has on you. Ease the feelings to help you move on. Would you like me to help you like that?_

_Would it hurt?_

_Physically, no. It may hurt because you’ll be faced with the feelings. I had to go through that._

_You did?_

_Yes and so did Clarke and my bondmates._

_Why did you have to go through it?_

_A long time ago, probably before you were born, I did a really bad thing. I killed a lot of people thinking that they were enemies of the pack. They weren’t. They were the people I was in charge of. I killed my brother and the pack leader’s sisters. I didn’t mean to and it wasn’t my fault. I was tricked by a bad person. I felt guilty, confused, angry, heartbroken. I wanted to die because of what I did._

_But you didn’t die._

_No, Mother Earth saved me and gave me a new purpose in life. I helped people outside of the border because I couldn’t return for a long time. Some of them were like you. Something bad happened to them and I helped them get past it._

_Clarke, what happened to you?_

“Nyx almost killed me because she didn’t recognize that I wasn’t the enemy. She was trapped in the memory of what she just told you,” I said, remembering. “I became afraid of her even though I loved her. I thought that she would hurt me again and that no one would save me the next time it happened. I was shown that it wasn’t my fault and that Nyx wasn’t at fault either. The bad person who made her believe that there was an enemy had done something and she lost herself in the memory was at fault.”

_Bad things happen no matter how we wished it didn’t. Sometimes those bad things are so bad that they can hurt us. Take away the people we love. Sometimes we can’t move past what happened and we need someone to help us._

_And you want to help me?_

_Of course, I do. Why else would my power be so strong, if it wasn’t to help people._

_Maybe because you would use it to hurt people instead?_

Nyx shook her head, vehemently and said, _Never, ever would I use my power to hurt people unless they were bad people that were trying to hurt my people. No, I use my power to help._

_I believe you. Could you please help me?_

_I will. Would you like to do it today or another time?_

_Today, please._

_Okay. Is it alright if Clarke helps, too?_

_It’s alright_ , she said, looking at me.

“Thank you,” I replied. “I don’t want you to go through this alone. It’s kinda scary to face it alone. I wished that I had someone with me.”

She nodded and looked at Nyx, _Ready._

_Okay, but I have to shift back to human. I need to have skin to skin contact with you._

_Okay._

_Nyx shifted and said, “Will you come and sit on my lap? It’ll be more comfortable for the two of us.”_

The girl crawled into her lap and made herself comfortable. 

“Close your eyes,” she said softly, “and I want you to open your mind and let me in, okay?” 

She nodded and closed her eyes. 

“I’m going to touch your hands now. You can hold onto them, if you want to.” 

Nyx did and the girl clasped them tightly. She closed her eyes and I did too. Through the link, I saw flashes of the girl’s memories until Nyx settled on the one she was looking for. She played the memory from the time they headed out in wolf form to hunt until the time that people had found her. Most of it was a blur after the fire had stopped. I guess the pain was too much and this was when she became more wolf than human. Then she replayed it again and seemed to focus on one feeling. It was a slow process and I could tell that she was working on the guilt. I could feel how overwhelming it was for her, but as Nyx replayed the memory over and over again, I felt it lessening until it was gone. 

Next she worked on the anger. She did the same thing and as it lessened, she started to feed the girl the idea to make a lesson out of the experience. That it happened, but that she could learn from it. The anger faded and she moved on to her sadness. This I could understand. I felt sad at losing people I knew and cared for to the neurotoxin. Sometimes it hit me and I had to work through it. Nyx showed her how to do that as she eased it away. Told her that it was okay to be sad. To miss them. But also, telling her that her parents were proud of her, loved her, that they missed her too. She pushed the fact that they were with Mother Earth, safe and protected until they decided to return to the world of the living. When the girl understood that, Nyx brought forth the good memories. The ones that showed her all the love and happiness that she had experienced in her young life. 

She was done and we slowly eased out of the girl’s mind until I couldn’t feel such a deep connection to her beyond being able to hear her telepathically. I sighed and opened my eyes, wiping the tears away. The girl was doing the same and so was Nyx. The girl turned around in her lap and hugged her. Nyx returned the hug and kissed her on top of her head. 

“Madi, I’m so proud of you,” Nyx said softly and I realized that as we went through the memories her name had been revealed. 

Madi looked up at her in surprise and asked, _You know my name? How?_

“Your memories told me, sweetie,” she answered, smiling. “It’s a beautiful name.” 

_Thank you. Both of you._

“Your welcome, Madi,” I said, smiling at her. “I’m glad I know your name now. It is beautiful and strong. Just like you are.” 

Madi blushed and hid her head in Nyx’s chest, making Nyx chuckle. They stayed that way for awhile and I wanted to join them, but I was afraid that I’d spook her. I sighed when my communicator beeped, making Madi turn to me. I looked down at the message, frowning about what I read. 

“Madi,” I said, regretfully. “I’m afraid that Nyx and I have to leave. Something important has come up that we have to deal with.” 

_Do you really?_

“I’m afraid so,” Nyx replied. “I want you to listen to me, okay?” 

She nodded and Nyx said, “Because of our schedules we have to plan our visits with you. We’ll only be able to come once or twice a week, but we’ll always come at least once, you have my word on that.” 

_I want you to come more_ , she whined. 

“We do too,” I said, “Nyx and I both have responsibilities to our people, so we can’t always do what we want. It’s what happens when you grow up.” 

_I don’t want to grow up if I have to have responsibilities._

“It’s the way things work, strikon. We all must do something that helps our pack, our people. Clarke and I just happen to be leaders of our people, so we have to spend a lot of time making sure our people are safe and well cared for.” 

_You’re the leaders?_

“Yes, we are and it sucks sometimes, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” I said. 

_You wouldn’t?_

“No, I wouldn’t. I like helping my people. Someone has to do it, so why not me. I was picked to lead my people because they knew that I would do it willingly. Leading can be scary and we sometimes have to make decisions that we don’t want to, but they’re the best decisions that we have. We both have people that support us in such a way that it makes leading easier.” 

“Madi,” Nyx said and she looked up at her. “I have a task for you. I want you to practice speaking out loud. To yourself or to whomever comes through that door. I know it’ll be difficult because you haven’t spoken to anyone in nearly six months, but I need you to try.” 

Madi had a look of concentration on her face and then she said, “I, I’ll t-t-try.” 

Nyx hugged her tightly at the attempt and kissed her on the forehead, “That was real good. I’m proud of you. Now, I’m afraid that we really have to go, but we’ll be back and if you ever feel the need to talk to me, you can always mind call me. I’ll always answer you, okay?” 

Madi nodded and got out of her lap. Nyx stood and shook feeling back into her legs and stretched her back. 

She laid a hand on Madi’s head and said, “We’ll see you soon, Madi.” 

She nodded and we headed out the door. Nyx warded the door and I felt the link between us go away. 

“That was intense,” I said as we climbed on the bike. 

“It always is, but you two handled it real well,” Nyx said as we started back to the compound. “Madi was more relaxed with you there. It made it easier for me.” 

“I’m glad we could help her like that. She seems to really be warming up to us, especially you, _Blackie_.” 

Nyx groaned and said, “Please do not tell anyone. Dani’ll tease the shit out of me.” 

“Fine,” I said. “It was cute though. I might just make it my private name for you.” 

“Seriously?!” 

I laughed, “Maybe. I haven’t decided yet.” 

“Just wait until it happens to you.” 

“Ha. I already get called ‘Blondie’ a lot. I don’t need anymore.” 

“Whatever you say, _Blondie_ ,” Nyx said and I could hear the smile on her face. 

“Dammit. When will I learn not to open my mouth in situations like this.” 

“Probably never,” she said chuckling. 

I smacked her on the back and her laugh echoed when we entered the garage. 

“So, what was the message,” she asked me as we walked in. 

“Jaha will be at the border crossing the day after tomorrow,” I replied. “It’s time to put into action whatever it is you’re planning on doing.” 

“It’s about time,” she replied. 

We walked into the office where Seph, Cora, Octavia, Nate, and Kane waited for us. 

“What took you guys so long,” Seph asked. 

“We had to explain to Madi why we wouldn’t be able to visit as often as she liked,” I said, taking a seat. 

“Who’s Madi,” Octavia asked. 

“She’s the wild girl that we visited the other day at the orphanage. We finally learned her name and what happened to her,” Nyx said. 

“Wow, okay,” Cora said. 

“So, I’m told that Jaha will reach the border the day after tomorrow?’ 

“Uh, yes,” Kane replied. “There’s been sightings of him trying to sneak into the border, but he hasn’t been able to, so he’s heading towards the gate.” 

“That was not something I was expecting. Possibly looking for weak spots for Ice Pack to sneak in.” 

“You think he’s got a group of them following him discreetly?” 

“I wouldn’t put it past them and now they know that the border can’t be breached. If there are people following Jaha, it’s already been passed on to the Bear King.” 

“So, what’s the plan, Nyx,” Nate asked. 

“Alright, here’s what we’re going to do,” she said. “I’m going to place a call to the guy I told you about and let him know that a possible runaway has been seen near the border. Everyone in this room, except for Kane will go with me to the border. We have to show Jaha and the guy that he’s been kicked out of Manassas and the territory. I’m going to push the fact that he was at one time one of your slaves, but he did something inexcusable and that’s why you kicked him out. Whatever he did was bad enough that we removed him completely.” 

“What about his brand marking him ours.” Cora asked. 

“He should have been searched for brands when he got to the slave market. It would have been removed or crossed out and then he would have been rebranded to show that Ice Pack now has ownership. If it hasn’t been, it’ll be removed at the border. If Ice Pack removed their mark, we’ll just give him over and he’ll sell him to another slave market. Either way, removing him. Ben’ll give us something that we can use to destroy the implant which will sever him completely from the territory. Then it’s over.” 

“It sounds simple enough,” I said. 

“It really is simple,” she replied. “I’ll also dangle an opportunity to the guy that’ll bring him money.” 

“What’s that,” Cora asked. 

“The guy that’s still alive. I’ll pay him to retrieve him and bring him back to us.” 

“How will you be able to pay him and how much,” Seph asked, her eyes narrowing. 

Nyx grinned at her and replied, “Might as well make good use of the money Ice Pack paid Gustus. It won’t come out of the pack’s treasury or my pockets.” 

She grinned wide and said, “I like that.” 

“But of course,” she replied with a laugh. “So, we’re good on the plan?” 

“I got a question,” Cora said. “Why does it require all of us to be there?” 

“Octavia and Clarke are the leaders of Manassas which made him their responsibility and the ones to kick him out. Nate is Octavia’s bodyguard and will also cover Clarke. You and Cora are my Seconds, which makes you my bodyguards. Where one goes, the other follows.” 

“So, even though this is supposed to be a simple exchange, anything can still happen outside the border and we have to be prepared.” 

“Exactly, _Strisis_. Never go into a situation, no matter how it may appear, without backup.” 

“Okay, hold up,” I said, holding my hand up as a totally different thought came to me. “What the hell did you just call her and what does _strikon_ mean?” 

Nyx smiled and said, “Little sister and little one.” 

“And what did Seph say when she told you that she thought she couldn’t handle being your Second?” 

“Oh,” Seph said in recognition, “you mean _ge smak daun, gyon op nodotaim_?” 

“Yes, that.” 

“Get knocked down, get back up.” 

“What does that mean,” Octavia asked. 

“It means that when you don’t think you can handle something, you push through it. In my case, because I didn’t think that I could handle the responsibility, I needed to push through my fear of failure and just try my hardest.” 

“Like perseverance,” I said. 

“Exactly. You just keep going and you’ll eventually succeed.” 

“I like it,” Nate said. “Maybe we can make that our motto, O.” 

“Sure, unless another pack has dibs on it,” she said, looking at Nyx. 

“Nope. It’s all yours.” 

“Does the Forest Pack have a motto?” 

“We do. _Oso ste otaim wonkru_. It means ‘we are always one people.’” 

“Southern Pack’s is _Chit nou frag ai op, na teik ai gon mou yuj_ ,” Seph said with a smile. “What doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger.” 

“Western’s is _Yu gonplei ste nou odon kom yu ste no mou_ ,” Cora said. “Your fight is not over until you are no more.” 

“Some of the first tiered families also have family crests, too,” Seph said. “Nyx has ours tattooed somewhere on her.” 

“Center of my back,” she replied. “The first one I got when I turned 18.” 

“Hold on a sec,” I said and ran up to my room, grabbing my sketch pad and racing back downstairs. 

I arrived kinda breathless and everyone chuckled. I flipped to the drawing of Nyx and I handed it over to her shyly. 

She took it and stared at the picture for a long time. 

She looked up at me with a trembling smile before she handed it to Seph and got up to embrace me. 

Kissing me deeply, she said, “It’s beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with me.” 

I looked up at her and could see tears in her eyes. Seeing those tears told me that I had shown her something really special and she loved it. 

“When I saw you looking like that, I just had to draw you,” I whispered. “You were so beautiful in that moment. I didn’t want to forget it. That’s when I knew without a doubt that I loved you.” 

She kissed me again and it was a drawn out kiss that told me how much she loved me. I laid my head on her chest and sighed contentedly. It was another perfect moment that I wanted to treasure always. 

“Nyx,” Seph called and she turned us so that we could both look at her. 

“Yeah,” she asked. 

“What does the phoenix mean?” 

“ _Kom de folau, oso na gyon op_. From the ashes, we will rise,” she answered softly. “It was so that I would always remember that even at the lowest point of my life, I survived and came back stronger than I was.” 

I hugged her tightly and then Octavia said, “The wolf’s head in the center looks like you. Is it?” 

Nyx chuckled and I felt the reverberation in her chest, “No, it’s not. It’s actually the first Allistar to become Second. Dermot Allistar. There’s been five black wolves in the family, including me. We’ve all been Second and were the strongest and most powerful of the pack at the time. Come to think of it, black wolves have only appeared during times of strife.” 

“Five,” Seph asked. “The pack hasn’t been around for that long.” 

“True,” she said. “Two of them were twins and one of them lost his life during a war with the Cincinnati Pack.” 

“You said that black wolves only appear in times of strife,” Nate said. 

“Yeah. When the pack first formed, the war with Cincinnati Pack, the Ice Pack invasion, and now.” 

“You know,” Cora said, leaning against the desk. “It almost seems like you were born as the ultimate Protector. I learned about those conflicts in school and each time, the Second was able to turn the tide and save the Pack.” 

“Seriously,” I asked in stunned disbelief. 

“Oh, yeah. Um, what did they call it,” she replied. “The Black Wolf Paradox. That’s what they called it. People are still trying to figure out why it happens.” 

Nyx shrugged and said, “Well, I have no clue either. It just is. I mean, I heard the stories as I grew up, but never really put the two together. Now, I know why Mother Earth’s been so involved with my life.” 

“You’re meant to keep the pack together and alive,” Kane said. “That’s your purpose.” 

“I guess so.” 

“So, why aren’t you and I lifemates,” I asked. 

“Because, none of them ever survived the conflicts,” she said looking down at me. “When all of this is over, there’s a huge chance that I’ll die. You’re more important alive than I am.” 

“I refuse to believe that.” 

“So do I. That’s just what happened to them. I’m not planning to die, except from old age.” 

“Good. I’m glad we agree on that,” I said determinedly. “You are ours and I refuse to let you go.” 

She laughed and pulled me closer and said, “I think that’s enough of a history lesson.” 

“Nyx, why don’t you have a tattoo of mom and dad?” 

“I do. They’re on the back of my neck,” she replied. “You couldn’t see it because of how long my hair was.” 

“Let me see,” she demanded. 

Nyx sighed, letting me go, and sat down on a stool so she could easily show Seph. Sliding her jacket down and lifting the hair, she exposed the tattoo. It was a man and a woman embracing one another, surrounded by five stars with the moon as a back drop. The woman had a sword in her hand and the man, a hammer of some sort. The sword and hammer crossed to form an X. Again it was done with so much detail that I could easily recognize Simone. 

“Holy shit,” Seph explained as Nyx readjusted her clothes. “Who ever did the work is a fucking genius.” 

Nyx laughed and turned around, “All my tattoos were done by our cousin, Delphine, so yeah, she’s a fucking genius.” 

“Wait, I thought you said that you never stepped foot in the territory while you were banished,” I said. 

“I didn’t,” she answered. “Del came to me shortly after I’d gotten settled in Old Towne. She was adamant about making sure that I remembered where I came from and that being banished wasn’t the end of my life.” 

“Do the five stars mean anything?” 

“Don’t know. I asked her the same thing and she told me that it felt like a compulsion.” 

“And the chain, vine, and fire represent you powers,” Nate asked. 

“My visible powers,” she said. “So, can I go eat now? Working with Madi made me hungry.” 

“Yes,” Seph said, laughing. “Dinner’s ready anyway.” 

“Yes,” she exclaimed and stood up to do a happy dance. Everybody laughed at her and she looked at us and said, “What? I like food.” 

“And I have yet to see where you pack it all,” I said as I went over to her and tugged her hand to head to the dining room. 

“Fucking metabolism,” Seph muttered as everyone followed. 

“Don’t be jealous, sis,” Nyx said over her shoulder. “It’ll make your face freeze.” 

“That is an old wives tale and you know it.” 

“Whatever.” 

“Yeah, well, just wait until you have kids. That metabolism is gonna go bye-bye and your ass will get huge.” 

“Kids?! Who said anything about kids. I don’t need to have kids, I’ve got Cora.” 

“Whoa, whoa, there,” Cora spoke up. “Why the hell are you dragging me into this? I’m not planning to have kids for a long time. I’ve got enough shit to deal with.” 

“I didn’t say you had to have kids, Cora. I said I’ve got you because you’re already my successor. I don’t have to worry about carrying on the family name. You do.” 

“Well, why the hell do I have to do that? Seph’s kids should do well enough. Don’t you think?” 

“Well, sure. That could work, but I’m pretty sure her kids will be weirdos. You’ve got the better genes.” 

“Hey! That’s just mean, Nyx,” Seph scowled. “You just don’t want to sleep with a man.” 

“Guilty. Besides, I haven’t come across anyone that I’d even want to share my DNA with.” 

“What now,” Octavia asked as we entered the dining room. 

We sat down and Octavia did her thing and the conversation continued. 

“If I want to have children, I have to find a mate that I think is suitable enough to help carry on the name,” Nyx explained. “Lexa and Dani have to do the same thing.” 

“Sucks to be you three,” Seph said snickering. 

“Shut up, Seph. I already know that you and Ben will claim one another.” 

Seph opened and closed her mouth like a fish, her face turning bright red and said, “Who the hell told you that?! Did Ben say something to you?” 

Nyx laughed loud enough to draw stares and she said, “God, no. Ben’s too afraid of me. I just know, dumbass. Whenever y’all are in the same room, you gravitate towards one another. I’ve seen you check him out.” 

“We do not and no I haven’t!” 

“Deny it all you want, Sis, but I know these things.” 

“Is this one of your matchmaking things,” I asked, smiling. 

“Matchmaking things,” Nate asked, thoroughly confused. 

“Yeah, Scarlett said she had a talent for matching her former lovers together.” 

“Geez, Nyx, do you have to involve yourself in everybody’s life,” Seph said glumly. 

“It’s not my fault.” 

“It never is. You blame Mother Earth for all of your craziness.” 

“Well, I can’t help it if it’s true. You think I like attracting the female population? I’d like to turn if off now that I’ve found my bondmates, but I can’t.” 

“Aw, you’re devoted to us,” I said and kissed her on the cheek and patted her head. 

“Yes, I am and I want no one else.” 

“God, get a room already,” Seph grumbled. “It’s like watching newlyweds.” 

“Maybe later,” she replied. “I’m hungry. Food now, sex later.” 

The people around us laughed and Seph grumbled as she started eating. The rest of the meal was full of laughs and delicious aromas. When we were done, we headed to our favorite people. They were both awake and Scarlett was conked out on the spare bed. 

“What’s up with Scar,” Nyx asked as she kissed Dani. 

“She got bored babysitting us and decided to take a nap,” Dani answered. 

“Oops,” I said. “I guess we took too long.” 

“What took too long,” Lexa asked. 

“We spent most of the afternoon with Madi. Then there was news about Jaha with a planning session, though it was really Nyx just telling us what we were doing. There was Nyx’s tattoos discussion. A baby talk and dinner.” 

“Who’s Madi,” she asked. 

“Oh, that’s the wild girl,” Nyx said. “I gleaned her name when I was working on her memory of what happened. She’s actually a good kid, just needs help adjusting now and serious training.” 

“Please tell me you explained the phoenix,” Dani whined. “It’s been bugging me.” 

“It represents the phrase, from the ashes, we will rise. We also got to talking about pack mottos. Got into a bit of history lesson because the family crest on my back has a wolf head that resembles my wolf.” 

“Yeah,” I said. “I don’t really like that fact that all the black wolves in her family have died after the pack wins whatever war they were fighting.” 

“Dude, you went there,” Dani admonished Nyx. “That was stupid.” 

“It was,” she admitted. “I got lost in the history lesson.” 

“Baby talk,” Lexa asked. 

“Seph started it when she complained about Nyx’s metabolism. Then she told her that it’ll slow down and she’ll get fat when she has kids. It went downhill from there,” I said laughing. 

“I told her that I don’t need to have kids because I have Cora to succeed me. Cora didn’t like it too much and then it got worse because I said that Seph’s kids would be weirdos. Seph called me a man hater and I agreed with her.” 

“She also told Seph that her and Ben would eventually claim each other. You should have seen the look on Seph’s face when she said that. It was hilarious,” I said, chuckling. 

“Dammit,” Dani complained. “I always miss the good convos.” 

“Don’t worry, love,” Nyx said, kissing her. “You know damn well Seph and I ain’t done yet. We’ve got 8 years to make up for.” 

“Oh, god, shoot me now,” Lexa said, sighing dramatically. “Seriously, do you have to act so childish?” 

“Well, if you pulled that stick outta your ass, you’d appreciate our childish behavior more,” she laughed. 

“I don’t have a stick up my ass, Nyx Allistar,” she replied and glared at her. “One of us has to be the grown up in this group.” 

“It’s what happens when you’re the oldest, babe.” 

“You know what, you can go to hell.” 

“Been there, done that. Anyplace else you want me to go?” 

“Fuck you.” 

“We will when you get better.” 

“God, you are insufferable tonight. You and your fucking good moods.” 

“I got to enjoy it while I can, sweetheart,” she said, all kidding aside. “We deal with Jaha the day after tomorrow.” 

“Are you expecting trouble,” Lexa asked worried. 

Nyx shook her head and said, “No, but we gotta be prepared for anything.” 

“Don’t put yourself in danger, Nyx. Make the exchange and get back in the shield. Do you understand me?” 

“I understand, Lexa. I’m not putting myself at risk.” 

“Better not,” Dani said vehemently. “I don’t want to hear that you stuck your neck out unnecessarily.” 

“I’ll be fine, _niron_ ,” she said and kissed her again. 

It must have been a good kiss, because Dani moaned in pleasure. 

“I want you so bad, Nyx,” Dani whispered. 

“I want you just as badly,” Nyx answered and kissed her again. “But for now, how about a song? Something that’ll help you fall asleep easier?” 

“Please,” Lexa said, her face falling into a memory. “I’ve missed your singing, Nyx.” 

Nyx blushed, “Alright. I’ve got the perfect song.” 

I crawled onto Lexa’s bed and she shifted until we were both comfortable. My memory of the night we met came back to the surface and I found myself smiling at it. Nyx settled herself with Dani in her arms and she snuggled more firmly into her shoulder. 

Nyx started softly: 

___*“One look at you, my whole life falls in line_  
_I prayed for you, before I called you mine_  
_Oh, I can’t believe it’s true, sometimes_  
_Oh, I can’t believe it’s true_

___I get to love you_  
_It’s the best thing that I’ll ever do_  
_I get to love you_  
_It’s a promise I’m making to you ___  
_Whatever may come, your heart I will choose_  
_Forever I’m yours, forever I do_  
_I get to love you_  
_I get to love you”_

I felt Lexa shudder and I looked down as tears fell softly down her face. I wiped them gently away and she looked up at me and my breath caught at the naked love that shone through her eyes. I bent down and kissed her gently and settled back to listen to Nyx singing. 

_______“The way you love, it changes who I am_  
_I am undone and I thank God once again_  
_Oh, I can’t believe it’s true, sometimes_  
_Oh, I can’t believe it’s true_

_______I get to love you_  
_It’s the best thing that I’ll ever do_  
_I get to love you_  
_It’s a promise I’m making to you_  
_Whatever may come, your heart I will choose_  
_Forever I’m yours, forever I do_  
_I get to love you_  
_I get to love you_  
_I get to love you_  
_I get to love you_

_______They say love is a journey_  
_I promise that I’ll never leave_  
_When it’s too heavy to carry_  
_Remember this moment with me_

_______I get to love you_  
_I get to love you_  
_I get to love you”_

There was absolute silence when she finished, but the love I felt through my bonds with them seemed to triple in size as they grew stronger. It blew my mind how one simple song could have such an impact and wondered if one song could do this, what would claiming bring. 

“God, darlin’,” Scarlett said, her voice almost reverent. “I forgot how beautiful you can sing.” 

Nyx chuckled softly, “I don’t often have a reason to sing, love. Not these days anyways, but now that I have you all in my life, I have more than enough.” 

“I could listen to you sing every night,” Dani whispered. 

“For you, I will,” she whispered back and kissed her gently. “Sleep now, _ai keryon_.” 

“ _Ai hod in yu_ ,” Dani whispered. 

“ _En ai yu_ ,” she answered. 

“I love you,” Lexa softly translated for me. “And I, you.” 

“ _Ai hod in yu_ ,” I said carefully and was rewarded with a smile. 

“ _En ai yu_.” 

I got out of the bed and helped her settle in the bed more comfortably, kissing her good night as Nyx did the same with Dani. Scarlett said her good nights to both of them and we headed back to the compound. I left riding high on the love that continued to cascade down my bonds and for once sleep came easily as the fear of the last couple of weeks faded. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song is _I Get to Love You_ by Ruelle. Beautiful love song accompanied by piano.


	63. Clarke

Two Days Later, Easter Border

 

“Any sign of him yet,” Seph asked for the 10th time.

“No,” Nyx answered. “Stop whining. He’ll get here when he gets here.”

“But I’m bored. We’ve been here forever.”

“God, Seph, we’ve only been here for maybe twenty minutes. If you’re bored go train with Cora. She needs the practice.”

“Fine,” she groaned out and dragged Cora out of the truck.

Nyx laid her head on the dash and said, “Please tell me I don’t sound like that when I complain?”

I laughed, “No, you don’t. You’re worse.”

She groaned making everyone in the truck laugh.

“I am never having kids.”

“Oh, no, you don’t,” I replied. “We are not going down that conversation again.”

“I’m not going there. I’m just making a statement.”

It was another twenty minutes that we heard the communicator beep. Nyx grabbed it so fast, she slammed her fist into the dash.

“Fuck,” she yelled and switched hands, sucking in her knuckles. “Yes, Commander?”

“The human’s been spotted two miles due north, _Pakstoka_ ,” came his reply.

“Thank you, Commander. Remember that when he arrives, pretend you don’t know who he is or that we’re sitting here waiting. You’re asking us to come there to verify his story.”

“Copy that.”

“Ben, you got the drone ready,” she asked him.

“Sending it out now,” he replied.

Our plan was to watch his progress using the signature lens to see if any Ice Pack members were following him. Ben propped up the viewer on the dash so that we could all watch as he navigated the drone. Jaha finally came into sight and we could see that he was limping badly.

“Damn, they did a number on him,” Nate said.

“Sure looks like it,” Octavia replied.

He moved slowly and it took him over twenty minutes to make it to the mile mark. Ben scanned the area behind him, but we didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. The last mile took another half hour for him to reach the gate. The cab of the truck thrummed with nervous energy as we watched the exchange. Luckily, Ben had built in a microphone into the drone so that we could hear what was being said.

“Cora, Seph,” Nyx called out of the window. “Get in the truck.”

They hurried over and got in, excitement bubbling over with them. Jaha tried to come up to the gate itself, but couldn’t. He started banging on the shield and you could see him yelling, but we couldn’t hear him. The guards at the gate radioed for the Commander, who walked over from a nearby building.

“What is it, Sergeant,” the Commander asked.

“That, Sir,” he replied and pointed to Jaha. “Should we get rid of him?”

“Let’s see what the man wants,” came the reply. “He looks in desperate need of medical attention. I want two of you to follow me outside the shield while the other two man the gate.”

They saluted him smartly and two escorted the Commander. The shield went down in that section and Jaha rushed forward. The guards took immediate action and pointed their weapons at him, making him come to an abrupt stop.

“Go away, human,” the Commander sneered. “We don’t let your kind in our borders.”

“Now see here,” Jaha said, standing up straighter. “I am from Manassas. I was told that if I could make it back here, I would be allowed to re-enter the territory. I demand that you let me do so.”

“You demand? You have no authority to demand anything, human. If you are from there, as you claim, you’re a runaway. Runaways are killed.”

I could hear the safeties disengage as they took better aim at him.

“Wait, wait,” Jaha said, holding up his hands. “There must be some grievous mistake. I did not run away and I am no slave. I was taken to Old Towne along with five others to experience what it was like for humans outside of the territory. I was promised safe passage back to Manassas if I made it back.”

“Who told you this?”

“Clarke Griffin and a woman by the name of Indra, I believe.”

“You mean, _Chancellor_ Griffin and _Pakstoka_ Indra?”

“Yes, yes, those two. Look, I just want to go home.”

The Commander took out a small tablet and scrolled through it until he came across the information we fabricated.

“It says here, human, that three former slaves were exiled out of the territory by both the Manassas Pack and Council, seconded by de Pakstoka. It also states that three others also ran away with them,” he said, looking at him.

“We weren’t exiled,” Jaha said, raising his voice. “We were sent out to experience what happens to humans outside the territory. We were promised safe passage back to Manassas if we got back to the border. Check with them. They’ll verify what I told you is the truth.”

“Restrain him while I verify,” he told his guards.

“Wait, wait, restraints aren’t necessary,” he pleaded.

“You’re either a liar or not. Until I know that you are safe to let through, you’ll be restrained and held outside of the border.”

The Commander stepped away and pulled out his communicator. Ben turned down the volume of the screen and waited with the mic.

“Manassas this is the Gate Commander at the Eastern Border. Over.”

“This is Manassas, Commander,” Ben replied smoothly but with a huge grin on his face. “How can I help you?”

“There is a human outside the border seeking entrance and claiming to be one of yours. Can you verify?”

“One of ours, Commander? Explain.”

“He is claiming that he was sent to Old Towne in order to experience the way humans live outside the border. I have a report here stating that there were three slaves exiled and three runaways. Can you verify this?”

“Wait one,” he said and paused for a minute before replying. “There were no slaves recorded as to being sent to Old Towne. You’re report is correct.”

We could hear Jaha screaming making Seph snicker. Nyx gave her a look and she quieted.

“He also claims that it was Chancellor Griffin and Pakstoka Indra who told him that he may return to Manassas if he made it to the border.”

“Let me check with the Chancellor.”

We waited five minutes before Ben said, “I apologize, Commander, but I’ve just been informed that Chancellor Griffin and _Pakstoka_ Blake are getting a tour of the territory.”

“I understand. Is there any way that we may be able to contact them?”

“There is. Switch to Channel 4 and ask for Rover 1.”

“Thank you, Manassas. Eastern Border out.”

Ben quickly changed to channel 4 and waited. He handed the mic to Seph.

“Rover 1, this is Eastern Border Gate. Do you copy?”

“This is Rover 1.”

“Rover 1, I have been informed that you are escorting Chancellor Griffin and _Pakstoka_ Blake around the territory by Manassas. Can you verify?”

“That is correct, Commander. Is there an issue that needs to be addressed?”

“Yes, there is, Rover 1. There is a human that claims to be from Manassas stating that he would be allowed within the border if he made it back from Old Towne. He gave the Chancellor’s name as reference.”

“Wait one.”

Seph handed me the mic and I counted thirty seconds before I said, “This is Chancellor Griffin, Commander. I understand that there is a human outside the border that is claiming that we would allow him to return to Manassas.”

“That is correct, Chancellor.”

“I’m afraid that I do not recall any such words exchanged between myself and a human. I only recall that we exiled three slaves from Manassas before the first snowfall.”

We could hear Jaha screaming, “She’s lying,” over and over again.

I handed the mic to Octavia and she said, “This is _Pakstoka_ Blake. If he is or was one of ours, he should have a brand in the shape of an oak tree on the back of his right shoulder.”

Ben whispered, “Sullivan is known for burning off old brands. Pretend that is how you remove your brands.”

“Commander, if he is one of the exiled slaves, his brand should be burned off.”

“Thank you, _Pakstoka_.”

The Commander turned and issued an order to the guards. They roughly turned him around and ripped his shirt, exposing the shoulder. It was indeed a burned out brand.

“ _Pakstoka_ , he is one of your exiled slaves. What should we do?”

Seph took the mic and said, “Check him for any other brands, Commander.”

The guards ripped off the rest of his shirt, which was nothing more than rags anyway. They found a brand under his arm and near his arm pit. We couldn’t identify if from our viewpoint, but the Commander certainly did.

“Rover 1, he belongs to Ice Pack. Please advise.”

“Commander, this is _de Pakstoka_. We’re about thirty minutes from your position. We’re heading to you and I’m calling in for a retrieval team. Hold him and make sure he makes no attempt to escape and no further harm comes to him. Start snapping photos to prove that he came to us in whatever shape he’s in.”

“Yes, _de Pakstoka_ ,” his voice trembling as if in fear. “We’ve already caught him on our video feeds as he came from the north. Will that suffice?”

“It will. We’ll be there shortly.”

“Yes, _de Pakstoka_.”

Ben started the truck and we slowly made our way to the border. Seph was nearly beside herself, filled with anticipation. The rest of us were sober and I wondered what was going to happen. Nyx called the retrieval team and they were on their way to meet us at the border.

We arrived twenty minutes later and climbed out of the truck with the exception of Ben. He continued to monitor the situation with the drone and he was supposed to be our driver anyway. We approached the gate slowly as if we had all the time in the world and the Commander met us there.

“Commander,” Nyx said.

“ _de Pakstoka_ , is the retrieval team on it’s way?”

“They are. Do you have the photos?”

“They’re being printed as we speak.”

There was a commotion and we looked to see Jaha trying to get to us, but the guards held him fast.

“You promised! You promised,” he screamed over and over again, spittle flying from his mouth.

Nyx stepped around the gate and stopped just inside the border, Seph and Cora right behind her with their hands on their guns.

“SILENCE,” she bellowed. “We made no such promise, human. Even if you could prove that we did, you belong to Ice Pack. By Coalition Law, we cannot allow you entrance. So, shut the fuck up and mind your betters.”

Jaha crumbled and started sobbing. Octavia, Nate, and I watched dispassionately at the scene. Five minutes later, we saw dust on the horizon and soon we found a vehicle approaching. The guards became alert, their weapons drawn and safeties off. The truck stopped about twenty feet away and out stepped a man with shaggy brown hair and dressed like a cowboy in a leather trench.

“You called for a retrieval,” the man asked.

“Seph, on me. Cora, Clarke’s yours,” she said.

We stepped out of the protection of the shield, we stopped around Jaha while Nyx and Seph approached him, stopping about five feet away from him.

“I did,” Nyx replied. “I still owe you a favor. I’d figured this would make us square.”

He lunged forward suddenly and tackled her to the ground. Seph went to grab him, but Nyx beat her to it. She had flipped them over and she straddled him with a knife on his neck. He spit at her and she calmly wiped it off of her face.

“Now that is no way to greet an old friend, Stokes,” she said.

“Old friend my ass, bitch. You stole from me,” he said angrily.

“There was a bigger payday for those girls. I wanted the money.”

“Fuck you, Nyx. I want what’s mine.”

“Then let’s finish this deal or do you want to rehash the past?”

“The deal, you bitch,” he replied. “How’re you here anyway. Thought you’re banished?”

“That’s none of your fucking business,” she said as she got off of him and stepped away, knife still at the ready.

He got up slowly and dusted himself off and looked at her, “So, what’s the deal?”

Nyx jerked her head back towards Jaha and said, “We exiled this motherfucker months back. He was captured by a slaver and sold to Ice Pack. Take him. You should make a nice payday for returning him or selling him to the black market. Take your pick.”

Stokes walked over to Jaha and the guards pointed their weapons at him. Nyx followed.

“He’s in pretty bad shape, Nyx. I ain’t gonna make any money off of him on the market. How’d this happen?”

“Don’t know. Don’t care. He came like this.”

“How do I know you’re telling me the truth?”

Nyx whistled and another guard ran toward them, carrying the photos. The guard handed the photos over to Stokes, who looked over them.

“This proves nothin’, Nyx,” he said and threw the photos to the ground.

“Fine,” she said testily. “What do you want to take him off of my hands?”

He took his time and then looked at her, “$750,000.”

“Are you out of your fucking mind? That’s too damn much and you know it.”

“How much did you get for the girls,” he countered.

“150 thou,” she replied. “That was double the price we were going to get from Rossi.”

“Tell you what, I’m willing to go down to 500.”

“10 thou even.”

“Now, you’re just insulting me. 250.”

I heard Nyx growl and then she said, “20 thou.”

“Oh, come on, Nyx. That’ll barely cover the healer if I want to make some money off of him.”

“80.”

“That’s better, but not good enough.”

“You sonofabitch. 80 thousand and another 150 if you bring back one of our runaways.”

“You’ve got a runaway? Oh, this is priceless. The Great Bounty Hunter lost a fucking slave.”

“I didn’t lose a slave, Stokes. The fuckers snuck out with the damn exiles. I’m offering you a 150,000 per returned slave alive and able to work.”

“Are my ears deceiving me or did you you just offer me 150 per.”

She nodded curtly, “I did.”

“On one condition.”

“What’s that, Stokes?”

There was suddenly a whirlwind of dust approaching us. Vehicles were speeding towards us.

“Everyone behind the shield now,” Nyx screamed as she walked backwards quickly, not daring to turn her back to Stokes. “What the fuck did you do, Stokes!”

He laughed at and pointed something at her, “This is payback, bitch. You’ve got a bigger bounty on your head than any man can dream of. That money’s mine.”

He fired and Nyx went down on one knee. She howled and and threw her knife at him. It sunk hilt deep in the middle of his forehead, killing him instantly. Before he even dropped to the ground, men poured out of the truck and came at her. She lit the ground in front of them on fire, but each one ran straight through.

“Lock the shield down,” she yelled. “Lock it down, now! That’s an order! Seph, shield on Clarke and Octavia. No matter what happens stay close to one another!”

The world was suddenly an explosion of elements and gunfire. Staying close to Cora, I started to electrocute people left and right. During the fray, Cora and I figured out that if we combined our powers, much like Nyx had done, we were more effective. My world narrowed to keeping myself alive. Seph’s shield worked as more and more power and bullets were aimed at me. I occasionally got knocked down from the strength of whatever power hit me, but I got back up every time and continued to fight. 

A dust storm quickly sprang up and I could barely make out Cora. I tried to shield my eyes, but it was to no avail. I saw a shape rushing towards me, arm raised and I quickly shot lightning. Whoever it was went down and I tried to make my way closer to Cora. She nearly shot me before she realized who I was. She pulled me close and we took up a defensive position. In this moment, I was extremely grateful that Nyx had personally trained me, because my mind was panicking but my body knew exactly what to do. There was a loud howl of pain coming from somewhere making me nearly jump out of my skin, but I didn’t have time to worry. I didn’t know who was who, so I pulled back my power and only used enough to immobilize the people I could see.

 

Nyx

 

_Seph, when I tell you to, drop your shields, I said as I fired off another shot._

_What are you planning_ , she asked as she took out another one.

_Since you’re here, I can use my own telekinesis. I can keep everyone alive. On my mark…3, 2, 1. Mark._

My shields went up over everyone and Seph’s dropped hers. Now that I didn’t have to worry about losing anyone, I turned my focus to whoever was attacking us. Shots fired out as blasts of power tried to drop us. I could see Clarke’s lightning strike person after person and I smiled grimly. She’d taken well to her training and I couldn’t be more proud of her than at this moment. There was movement to my left, but before I could take aim, they were already on the ground soaking wet and spasming from being to hit with electrified water. Cora and Clarke had figured out how to use their powers together. 

I growled when I was out of bullets and two swords formed in my hands. I charged, Seph behind me and it suddenly became a lot more bloodier. Whoever these guys were, they were trained. Nothing seemed to phase them. Suddenly, a dust storm swept up and I could barely see for a moment. My eyes quickly adjusted and I moved closer to Seph so that I could better protect her. 

In a moment of distraction, I felt something try to penetrate my shield from behind. I whipped around and saw that Jaha had just tried to stab me in the back. I growled and without a thought, snapped his neck. The look of utter fear on his face when he looked at me was priceless and then I turned back around and continued the fight. 

Seph and I took out the last of our enemies and the dust storm settled, leaving us coughing. When we could easily see, I looked around slowly and saw my people were the only ones standing. I dropped the shields and absorbed the swords, leaving a sticky amount of blood on my hands. I wiped them on my backside and grimaced when my palms came back red. The others joined us, looking around as they stepped over the bodies. Octavia kneeled by Jaha’s lifeless body and searched his pockets. She found something and brought it over to me.

“Whatcha got, Octavia,” I asked, still coughing from the dust in my throat.

She handed me a small square disc and I turned it over, but couldn’t make heads or tales of it. It looked like it was similar to our inhibitor discs, but I couldn’t be sure. I’d hold onto it until I could give it to Ben.

I looked around us, and Seph was already investigating the nearest body.

“Anything, Seph,” I asked as I crouched beside her. 

“No, nothing,” she replied sighing. “We’re going to have to search everybody and their vehicles to find out who these people were.”

I clapped her on the back and stood back up and said, “That’s the plan. I’ll have the border guards do it. Once everything’s retrieved, I’ll get rid of the bodies and vehicles. We can’t leave any trace of this.”

“Nyx,” Clarke asked as she neared me. “Are you okay? What did he hit you with?”

I had forgotten that he’d hit me with something, so I looked and found something sticking out of my thigh. I pulled it out with a quick yank, wincing at the sharp pain. It appeared to be a broken vial with a needle sticking out of it. I sniffed it and smelled the familiar scent of a tranquilizer. He had tried to knock me out, but got the dosage wrong.

I held up the dart and replied, “I’m good, he only shot me with a tranq. Wasn’t a strong enough dose to knock me out. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. In fact, we’re all fine,” she replied. “You put shields on all of us didn’t you?”

I nodded, “With Seph here, I could use my power without anyone knowing. My fire wasn’t working, so I did what I could.”

“What’re we going to do about Jaha’s body,” Nate asked. “Didn’t you say that if we killed him, it would be bad?”

I frowned and replied, “Yeah, it is. We’ll keep his body separate for the moment. Bastard tried to stab me in the back.”

“That motherfucker,” Seph cursed, “Where the hell did he get a knife anyway?”

“From any of these guys probably,” Cora said.

I felt a sudden warmth in the pocket where I’d put the strange disc. I pulled it out quickly and felt it grow hotter. I hurled it up in the sky as hard as I could and put a shield over us and it. It exploded in the air and everyone ducked at the sound. 

“What the fuck?!”

“That’s it,” I said. “Nobody touch anything. I want everyone on the other side of the gate, now!”

I motioned to the guards that had come out with us. The shield closed and I leaned against the gate.

“Seph,” I said. “Tell Ben, I need nullifiers for the trucks out there and a trap sensor. No one goes out and looks over the bodies and vehicles until I have them.”

She nodded and hurried off.

“ _de Pakstoka_ ,” the Gate Commander asked. “Are you all alright?”

“We are, thank you, Commander,” I replied. “I want your men ready to start searching those bodies and vehicles momentarily. Something we found on the human was a booby trap. I want to make sure that there aren’t anymore before they start searching.”

“Yes, _Pakstoka_ ,” he replied and started calling everyone to order.

Seph came running back with several objects in her hands and I took them over to the Commander, where I explained how they worked. He set up teams and they left the shield and started working. I told him that we’d be in the mess and to bring everything found there. He nodded and we headed off.

As soon as we entered, the chef and his assistant came over with large jugs of water and glasses. Pouring us each a glass, they left us to start preparing us a meal. While the others sat around the tables, I headed into the kitchen and their industrial sink to wash the blood off of my hands. It took a few runs, but they were finally clean and I headed back to the others.

Sitting down next to Clarke, I drained a glass and refilled it before I spoke, “That was definitely not what I was expecting.”

“No kidding,” Seph said. “I want to know what the hell that guy was talking about. How in the hell do you have a bounty on your head, Nyx?”

“Fuck if I know,” I said, thinking. “There are only two groups that would be interested in me. Ice Pack and the Coalition. Ice Pack knows I’m here and could’ve very well have hired mercenaries to take me out, using Stokes and Jaha as a cover. It could have also been the Coalition, but I’m pretty sure that they still don’t know where I am unless Kilpatrick got a message out to them soon after I returned.”

“I can tell you, boss,” Ben said. “That there was nothing in my email exchanges with them that indicated where we were. I used an encrypted IP address with bouncing locations. So, I know it didn’t come from us.”

“That’s just lovely,” I said sighing and looked at everyone, “You guys did really well out there. None of you hesitated. You just did what you needed to do. I’m proud of you guys. I do hate the fact that you all had to go through that, though.”

“It was intense,” Nate said as he flexed his hand. “My fire barely hurt the majority of them. I’m glad you guys trained us in firearms or we could’ve been toast.”

I nodded, “Most of them were fire mages. They’re the only ones that would be able survive against me in a power fight. Whoever they were didn’t know that about my other powers. Luckily with Seph here, I could get shields over everyone and not betray that little nugget of information.”

“Well, I’m glad that Clarke and I figured out how to use our powers together,” Cora said. “It made our hits more deadly.”

I smiled slightly, “Yeah, I saw one of them go down. It wasn’t pleasant.” I turned my attention to Clarke, wrapping an arm around her waist and asked, “Are you okay, hon? You’re being awfully quiet.”

She leaned against my shoulder and said, “I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. I never in my wildest dreams thought that I’d find myself in a fight, much less a fight using powers and bullets. And then when that dust storm kicked up, I couldn’t see, could barely breathe. I got so scared when I lost sight of you.”

“I know, sweetie,” I replied. “I could feel your fear through the bond. I’m really glad you’re okay. Honestly, I glad we all are.”

The chef and assistant came back out again and laid our meals in front of us. We all realized how hungry we were and dug in. The only sound were our forks and knives clinking on the plates. Seph got up and carried our dishes back over to the kitchen and brought back a carafe of coffee and mugs. We sat quietly talking as we waited for the search teams to be done.

My communicator beeped and I looked down at it, it was Scarlett.

“Hey, Scar,” I answered, tiredly.

“You sound tired, sugar,” she said. “Everything okay?”

“It didn’t go as I expected,” I replied. “It was a trap. Someone put a bounty on my head and the guy figured he could get a bigger payday off of me.”

“Is everyone okay,” she asked suddenly worried.

“Yeah, yeah,” I replied reassuringly. “We’re all fine. I got shields on everyone before it got too hairy. Maybe some bumps and bruises, but we’re all intact. Dusty and dirty, but fine.”

“Thank god,” I heard someone murmur in the background.

“Are you in their room?”

“Yeah,” she said sheepishly. “They wanted to know what was going on and if y’all were okay.”

“Dammit,” I said. “I should have never told them what was going on. It’s too soon for them to be worrying over this shit.”

“They would’ve worried anyway, Nyx,” she replied. “Especially, if you weren’t visiting today.”

“You’re right, but still.”

“I know. Clarke, are you doing okay?”

I handed it over to her and she replied, “Physically, yes. Mentally, I’m a little shaken by the whole thing. I’m really grateful that Nyx is the one who trained me, though. My mind was panicky, but my body knew exactly what to do until my mind caught up.”

I hugged her tighter and Scarlett said, “Which is the point of training, hon. Now you know that no matter what happens, you’ll always be able to defend yourself and others. Lex says she’s proud of you. We all are.”

“Thanks,” she replied. “I just wish it hadn’t come down to that. Jaha’s dead though. He tried to stab Nyx in the back, but he couldn’t because of her shield. She killed him.”

I could hear a collective gasp on the other end and I took the communicator and said, “It’s alright. I’ve already come up with a plan. I’ll have his body transported in a morgue truck with three million dollars that was in Gustus’ private account. I’ll send a copy of the report to the Coalition and that way, King Roan will have no leg to stand on if he brings up the dead slave to them.”

“That traitor has three million dollars in his account,” Scarlett said with surprise.

“He actually has close to ten,” I replied. “He never spent a dime of it. So, really, I’m just returning them their money. The rest, I’ll put in our treasury as an anonymous donation. Should keep the money clean that way.”

“Damn, you are too good at this shit, Nyx.”

I chuckled, “Pays to be trained.”

At that moment, the Gate Commander entered carrying a box and I said, “Hey, I’ve got to let y’all go. It looks like they’re done searching the baddies. Once everything’s squared away, we’ll head home.”

“Alright, darlin’. We’ll see you soon. Just let us know when you’re leaving.”

“We will. Love you guys.”

“Love y’all too.”

I set the communicator down and looked over at the Commander expectantly. He walked over and handed over the box.

“Is that everything,” I asked.

“Yes, _Pakstoka_ ,” he answered.

“Good. Make the bodies and vehicles disappear. I don’t want a single trace of them. Put Jaha’s body in a morgue truck and have it ready for transport soon.”

“Yes, Pakstoka,” he said and took his leave.

“Alright, Sis,” I said, rubbing my hands together. “What do we have?”

She started pulling things out of the box. Wallets, receipts, folders and a couple of tablets. She handed the tablets to Ben and started handing everything else out to everybody.

I handed Clarke some folders from the stack I was given and started going through them. They looked like simple retrieval orders, but I went through them carefully. I noted that a lot of them were signed off by Sullivan, so I started placing them off to the side. The others were on the up and up and there wasn’t anything interesting to be found there. 

“Hey boss,” Ben said, grabbing my attention, “you need to look at this.”

He handed me one of the tablets and I found out that King Roan had put a bounty on my head. Five million dollars for proof of my death, preferably my head. It made me rub my neck instinctively knowing that he wanted that. I let out a growl and tossed the tablet on the table.

“What is it,” Clarke asked as she took the tablet and looked at it. “A bounty?!”

I nodded, “Yeah. The bastard is smart enough to realize that if whatever he wants to succeed, I need to be removed permanently from the picture. He’s upped his game and knows that at some point I have to leave the territory and head back to Old Towne.”

“It means that he has someone in the Coalition that is passing on information,” Ben said, thinking. “That’s the only way he would know about the time limit.”

“Which puts you in a precarious position, doesn’t it,” Cora asked.

I nodded, “It does. If I stay within the border, I’m safe from the bounty hunters. Except that I can’t stay because I have to have a face to face with the Coalition in order to be released from my contract with them.”

“What happens if you don’t go,” Clarke asked fearfully.

“They hunt me and Ben down,” I explained. “Once they find out that I’m here, they can order the council to hand us over. If we’re not handed over within a very limited time, they’ll try and take us by force.”

“Once they realize that they can’t do that because of the shielded ward,” Ben said, “they’ll wage war against the pack.”

“Which means that it’s in the pack’s best interest to make sure that you make it to your meeting with the Coalition when it’s set up,” Seph said, scowling angrily.

“Yes,” I replied and then asked, “ Was there anything else of note?”

“They were contract mercs,” Cora said and handed over several IDs. “It looks like this Stokes guy hired them to bring you in. There’s a contract between them agreeing to split the bounty fifty-fifty.”

I looked down at the IDs and recognized the company and sighed, “Well, they are now out of money and men. Thank, Mother Earth, that we have the shield. They’ll try and collect from us when they don’t show back up.”

“What did you do to piss this guy off,” Octavia asked.

“I partnered up with him to find these two girls for a shady businessman. This was way before I knew the ins and outs of the business and couldn’t be picky on the jobs I took. The girls happened to be the daughters of a Councilman for the Coalition. They weren’t human. So, when we caught them, I took Stokes out and returned them to their family. It gave me an in with the Coalition and I started getting paid better.”

“Damn.”

“Stokes was planning on ransoming the girls back to the family and double crossing the guy. With the backing of the Coalition neither one of them could touch me. I should have never even thought of him, but he was the only one I knew that wouldn’t ask a lot of questions.”

“From all of this,” I said, indicating the pile, “it tells me that only Ice Pack is aware of my true location. This keeps us on our original time table and we can still work on gathering evidence against both the Ice Pack and Coalition.”

“And that keeps you safe for now,” Clarke said, sounding very relieved.

“It does,” I replied and kissed her gently. “Are we all done here?”

“Yeah,” Seph said and started packing everything back up.

“Good,” I said and stood up. “I’m ready to go home.”

“So, am I,” Clarke said as she stood up too.

Everyone got up and filed out of the door. Before we could leave, I had to transfer the money onto a portable wallet and write a short message to the Ice Pack. When I was done, I handed it off to the truck driver and told him to go through our territory and deliver it to our northern gate with instructions that it was to be placed in no man’s land. He nodded in understanding and drove off. We were all exhausted and as soon as Ben started driving, we all fell asleep.


	64. Clarke

We stumbled through the doors of the compound and headed up to our respective rooms. Nyx had already told Lexa and Dani that we wouldn’t be visiting tonight. They weren’t happy about it, but they completely understood. Scarlett was going to stay with them. 

As soon as I closed the door to my bedroom behind me, I started undressing as I made my way to the bathroom. I showered and washed up several times before the water was no longer muddy. I barely had the energy to brush out my hair and do a simple braid. I didn’t bother dressing and barely had the thought to cover myself before I was out.

When I woke up and looked over at my clock. It was mid-afternoon of the next day. I groaned in protest and wanted nothing more than to stay in bed, but my stomach had other ideas. Begrudgingly, I got out of bed and dressed. I got down to the kitchen and found myself alone. I made myself something to eat and stared dully out of the window as yesterday’s fight replayed itself in my mind. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the whole experience. I know that it was something that I had to do. They had been trying to kill us. Thanks to Nyx, we came out unharmed while the ground was littered with the bodies of our attackers. Nearly a fifth of the bodies were from me and it made me slightly sick. Never had I imagined when we came out of the bunker less than six months ago, that I’d have to kill someone. It didn’t seem like it had really happened, that it was just some horrible dream. 

Except that it wasn’t. It had happened. Bodies with burn marks, bullets, drowned, sliced and stabbed. It shook me to the core and I felt myself losing it. I laid my head on my arms and started crying. The fight had left me feeling guilty and I shouldn’t feel that because they were trying to kill me and my friends. And yet, I did. I felt horrible and I didn’t know what I could do about it.

I felt arms around me and I looked up through blurry eyes and saw Nyx kneeling down by my side. I turned to her and started crying harder. She picked me up and sat down with me in her lap and just held me, comforting me.

“I’m sorry you had to do that yesterday, my love,” she whispered as she kissed the top of my head. “If there had been another choice I would have taken it and you would have never experienced it. I’m sorry that I forced your hand like that.”

“Nyx, why does it hurt this bad,” I asked, my voice muffled by her chest.

“Because you’re not meant to be a fighter, Clarke,” she said gently. “That’s not who you are. You are meant to be a leader, of that I have no doubt. I also know that you’ll defend your loved ones to the death if you ever have to face it, but you’re not a killer. You’re peace.”

I looked up at her and said, “Peace?”

“You bring people together, Clarke,” she said as she looked down on me with a small smile. “You fight for peace. With your words. With your love. Clarke, you bring me peace. I may not have full claim of your heart, but what I do have, that is what makes me look for better alternatives. Peaceful alternatives. Without you, I’d never know what peace feels like. With you, I know I’m safe. Loved. Cherished. I’ve said it before and I’m going to say it again; you make me want to be a better person. A better version of myself. You brought me out of the darkness, Clarke.”

I reached up and laid a hand on her cheek. She leaned against it and closed her eyes. I look at her as if for the first time I truly see her for who she really is. I saw the compassion. The passion. Her willingness to take the darker path so that no one else has to. She has a strength about her that says that she’ll willingly carry the heavy burdens. That she’s fiercely protective. She’s selfless and kind. All she wants to do is take care of people and not just her people, everyone. She loves so deeply that it is awe inspiring. When she commits, she truly commits. She pushes herself beyond her limits. She’s the fighter. The protector. The one willing to lay down her life if it meant that people would be safe. She made me want to better person for all those reasons and so much more.

“You make me want to be a better person, too, Nyx,” I whispered. “By your words, your actions, your love, your commitment. I see nothing but goodness in your heart. You may travel the darker path, but you are the light that shines so bright that you end the darkness. You make the world a better place. You make people want to do and be better. I love you.”

She opened up her eyes and I saw the awe along with the heartbreak. The love with the hate. I saw her vulnerabilities because I saw her. I saw who she truly is. It was in that moment that I knew that I would lay my own claim on her when it was time. She would be mine and I would be hers.

“Thank you,” she whispered and leaned down and kissed me.

The kiss was very different than the ones we had shared. It was the true baring of her soul. I returned the kiss as I bared my own soul and it was beautiful. When it ended, she laid her head on mine and we did nothing but hold each other as if our souls were doing nothing more than committing to one another. Promising each other that when the time came, the parts of ourselves that we could give would become one. She was my first true love and she had brought me the other souls that would complete mine.

“Are you feeling better,” she eventually asked me.

“I am,” I replied. “Thank you for being so understanding.”

“Clarke, I felt your pain and your guilt. I knew why and it tore my heart apart knowing what caused it. That I’d inadvertently caused it. I know you probably don’t blame me. I made a mistake. I promise you that I will do everything in my power from that ever happening again. You are too important to me.”

I nodded and got off her lap and sat in another chair and took her hands in mine and said, “Nyx, you know probably better than I do that we all make mistakes. And I’m glad for your promise, but even if you fail to keep your promise, I’ll never hold it against you. You’re too important to me. Let’s just promise to each other that we’ll do everything in our power to make sure that we’ll do everything we can to try and avoid such a situation unless it is our only choice. I’ll fight alongside you, just as I know that we all will. You’ll never have to do this alone again.”

She smiled at me and said, “That I willingly give you my promise that I will do so, niron.”

“Thank you,” I said, feeling like a weight had been lifted one me. “Should we visit our girls before it gets to late?”

“We’d better,” she answered. “Especially before they start screeching at me in my head. Be lucky sometimes that you don’t have to deal with that.”

“I’d rather hear their screeching than their silence,” I said getting up.

“So do I,” she replied as she stood up and shook out her legs. “By the by, you’re heavy.”

I smacked her on chest and made her laugh. We walked to the bunker and our women as if we had known and loved each other for our entire lives.


	65. Nyx

“It’s about fucking time,” Dani bemoaned as we entered the room. “I’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting all fucking day.”

I laughed and went over and kissed her, “Yes, well, the world doesn’t stop working just because you’re bed bound, _ai keryon_. We’re still recovering from yesterday and I had paperwork.”

She crossed her arms and harrumphed, but there was a wicked gleam in her eye. I raised my eyebrow at her, but she stayed quiet so I impulsively tweaked her nipple. She yelped in pain and hit me. It was a little weak, but I could tell she was starting to regain her strength.

“You’re working out already,” I asked.

She nodded, “I needed something to do. My legs still can’t support me though.”

“We can start working on that,” I replied. “It’s going to take time, Dani. Those muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves are new. I had to make sure that you didn’t lose your leg or leave you paralyzed from the waist down, which was a strong possibility if you had survived and I wasn’t who I am.”

“I, I could have lost it,” she said, looking at me in horror.

“Yes, but you didn’t. I made sure that you, Lexa, and Indra were whole and alive. Losing any of you was not an option that I was willing to take.”

She sat up and hugged me tightly. I returned the hug and I could feel the tears streaming down her face. 

“Dani, baby,” I said quietly as I stroked her back. “I wasn’t going to lose you. Not after everything we’ve been through together. I love you too damn much, no matter how irritating I find you.”

She gave me a wet laugh and looked up at me, “Well, I find you irritating, too, knucklehead. What did I ever do to deserve you?”

“You loved me,” I replied simply. “I like to think that you love me unconditionally. Dani. No matter what happens or where our lives take us, I love you unconditionally. I want to make you mine, sweetheart. I want to grow old with you. You, Scarlett, Lexa, and Clarke are my world.”

“Now, why’d you have to go and say a stupid thing like that,” she said, blubbering.

I chuckled, “Because it’s true and I will continue to tell you this everyday for as long as we live. That you are mine and will always be mine.”

“I still can’t believe that the two of want to claim me.”

“Yeah, well, suck it up because we do. Just like all those years ago, Lexa and I wanted to claim you. That never went away. I’d claim you in a heartbeat if you’d let me.”

“I’m not ready for that yet,” she whispered.

“I know you’re not. I’m just putting it out there. I have all the time in the world to wait for you. I’m not going to leave you or change my mind.”

“God, I hate you.”

“You hate me? Why?”

“Why do you have to so damn lovable?”

I laughed, “You hate me because I’m too lovable? What am I going to do with you, Daniela Marie?”

“Dammit, Nyx. Stop giving away all my secrets,” she said, mock glaring at me.

“You’re middle name is no secret, silly.”

“Well, Clarke didn’t know it and now she does. And then there’s all that embarrassing shit you told Scarlett.”

“What? Are you talking about the time…” I got out before she laid her hand over my mouth.

“Don’t you dare, Nyx Allistar,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “Don’t you even think about it.”

I kissed her palm and made her shudder and close her eyes.

“Don’t do that either.”

“What, this,” I said and took her hand and kissed the palm again. “Or this,” and I kissed the inside of her wrist. “How about this,” I said and kissed the inside of her elbow.

“Mm-hm,” she said as she tried to stop a moan of pleasure.

I laughed and kissed her on her lips, “How about this?”

She kissed me back, deeply and thoroughly and then said, “That either.”

“What if I went lower,” I teased.

Before she could answer me, the door opened and Scarlett appeared bringing their solstice gifts. Dani sighed in relief, making me laugh.

“Solstice gifts,” Lexa asked confused.

“Yeah, your parents were thoughtful enough to give us gifts this year,” Scarlett answered and gave them each a stack. “I figured with y’all being stuck down here, this might give you a bit of distraction.”

“So, that’s where Clarke’s necklace came from,” she said with delight.

“Yeah,” Clarke answered. “Simone made it for me. I haven’t taken it off since.”

“Did Mom give you the book?”

“She did and Seph told me that she never gives out her first editions.”

“She gave you a first edition,” she gasped. “She won’t even let me in her library and I’m her freaking daughter.”

Clarke laughed and said, “Don’t get mad at me. I was surprised to get gifts. Samuel even made a special wine for me. Can’t open it for ten years, though.”

“Well, of course you can’t open it,” Dani said as she was opening her gifts. “If you open it too early, it’ll be sour. Wine is the mana of the gods and demands perfection.”

“That’s ambrosia,” I said, chuckling. “Gods drank or ate ambrosia.”

“Ooh, that’s a good name for a wine,” she said, chuckling and then turned her attention back to her gifts. “Holy shit,” she said as she pulled out a wooden statue.

“What,” Clarke asked curiously.

Tears sprung into Dani’s eyes and she couldn’t answer. The statue was a wolf made out of wind. Painstakingly detailed. Nereus made it shortly after Dani started showing her power. It was one of his first pieces.

I turned and looked at Clarke and said quietly, “Nereus made that statue. Dani always loved it. A few months before he died, he told her that he would gift it to her on her wedding day.”

“How does your mother do that, Nyx,” Scarlett asked.

“Do what?”

“It’s like she knows exactly the perfect gift to give.”

“That’s just the way it is,” I said shrugging. “All it takes is for her to take one look at someone and just know what would be perfect.”

“But she’d never seen me or met me before that day.”

“Seph told her about you. About how you’re a healer and a werepanther. How you help heal humans when no one else will. Seph can give incredible details about people. She’s almost as intuned with people as Mom. It’s why she paints incredible landscapes.”

I heard Lexa crying and I looked over her, suddenly concerned, “Lex, what’s wrong?”

She shook her head and said, “Nothing. Mom gave me back great grandmother’s engagement ring.”

She showed it to me and I gently took the box from her. I remembered every curve and detail of it. I’d often rub it when I felt lonely after she’d proposed to me. I handed it back to her reluctantly.

“I’m sorry,” Lexa said as she looked at me. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

I gave her a small smile and said, “It’s alright, love. We had our moment and it appears that it ended up being a good thing. You know as well as I do that if we had, your bond with Clarke would’ve turned ugly.”

She looked at Clarke and then back at me and said, “But still, I didn’t mean to bring up those memories.”

“Hon, they’re good memories. The ending sucked, but everything before are memories that I’ll always treasure.”

“Dammit, Nyx,” Scarlett said, sniffling as she sat next to me.

I wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her on the neck and said, “What?”

“Why do you always gotta make me cry?”

I chuckled and replied, “What? Too mushy?”

“Too perfect,” Dani said as she held my hand.

Lexa and Clarke sniffed too and I chuckled again, “Sorry?”

“I’ve noticed that about you, Nyx,” Clarke said as she looked at me. “You always seem to know exactly the right thing to say.”

I raised my eyebrows at her and said, “I do?”

“You do.”

“Yeah, you do and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Scarlett said

That made me blush and I ducked my head at her words, making her chuckle.

“And you also hate being called on it,” Lexa said, smiling. “Stop being such an ass about it.”

I laughed and everyone joined in and I said, “You’re right. I don’t like being called out on things like this. I just don’t really see why y’all have to make a big deal out of it.”

“It is a big deal, Nyx,” Clarke said. “Do you have any real idea how much of an impact you have on the people around you. I mean you shocked Annie when you said that what you wanted to do wasn’t really generous. That it was just the right thing to do and you were happy to do it.”

“Yeah, you’re a big softie,” Dani said. 

“I’ll agree to that,” Scarlett said. “You’re too good of a person, Nyx. It’s why we hate it when you put yourself on the line. It’s almost like you’re the heart of our group.”

It was getting to be a little too much for me and I stood up abruptly and said, “I gotta go.”

Before anyone could say anything, I strode quickly out of the room and ran back to the compound. I walked straight into the garage and started to take the weapons casings from my bike. When they were off, I started cleaning the bike and fiddling with the motor.

I wasn’t mad at them because I knew that what they said was true. I just didn’t like being singled out like that. I knew that I had a big heart and that I do a lot of things that seem at odds with what they see on the exterior. It’s just who I am. Almost like it balanced me out somehow.

“So, that’s what’s hidden beneath all that crap,” Raven said, making me look up startled.

“Huh,” I answered, still lost in my thoughts.

She smiled and walked in the garage, “I’ve been curious to see what kind of bike you had.”

“Oh,” I said and stood up. “It’s nothing really. Just a slightly modified KTM 450 SX-F. I found it in some old garage in Maine. Fell in love with the rust bucket and fixed it up.”

“What’s the top speed?”

“130 on open road.”

“You’re kidding, right,” she said and looked at me in surprise.

“No,” I said chuckling. “Without the modified engine, the KTM was known to get over 120. I had to modify it so I could add the extra weight of the plating without sacrificing speed.”

She kneeled down to look at it better and said, “It looks like you need a new rear suspension.”

I got down next to her to look and noticed her quick inhalation at our close proximity and I replied, “You’re right. I’m going to have to reinforce the springs and pistons to compensate for having a passenger. These bikes are only meant for one, but Clarke seems to enjoy it too much when I take her out on it.”

I stared at the suspension as I contemplated what I needed to do, but saw Raven turn slightly to look at me out of the corner of my eye.

“Am I too close, Rae,” I asked, smirking.

“Don’t you have an off switch,” she said as she stood up and moved a bit away.

“Unfortunately, no,” I replied and looked up at her. “It’s one of the many downsides of being me.”

“Downsides,” she asked confused.

I sighed and sat on my heels, “Yeah. Can’t turn off the pheromone. Too bighearted. Too violent when I lose control. I am just too much everything. Sometimes, I wish that I was normal and not some super modified were. Rae, I’ve done a lot of things, both good and bad in the last 12 years. In the last six months, I’ve died or nearly died half a dozen times. Life just gets to me sometimes because I’ve got so much responsibility. Somehow, someway, I’m supposed to save everyone in this territory. Mother Earth can’t even give me a timeframe or what’s going to happen, so it gets to me sometimes.”

“Yeah, but you’ve got people around you that are willing to help,” she said.

I looked at her and gave her a sad smile, “I know that, but it’s hard to let others help me. Especially, the ones I care for. I don’t want them to have to go through whatever is happening. I’d rather they stay safe. Protected. I know I can’t because that would be stifling who they are. So, I’m always conflicted. It was a lot easier when I only had Ben to watch over. Now, I’m back watching over a territory of my people. It gets overwhelming, especially when I remember that I couldn’t for eight years.”

“You’re having a hard time readjusting,” she said as she sat down close to me. “But you don’t look or act like it.”

“It’s like when you slip on a pair of comfortable shoes. They’ve been broken in and have already conformed to your feet. Your foot remembers that and it’s like you never took them off in the first place. The memory is there and I remember the duties and responsibilities that I had, so it’s easy enough to do it. But, I’m not the same person I was once. My viewpoints have changed, my knowledge has expanded. I lost so much and then to have them back suddenly…”

“So why not just walk away?”

I chuckled, “That’s not who I am. I’ve wanted to. I’ve threatened to, but I just can’t. These people, our people, are worth everything to me. If I die, I die knowing that I’ve done everything I could have to keep our people safe.”

“Nyx,” she said a little uncertainly.

“Hmm,” I said, looking at her.

“I don’t want you to die,” she said quietly.

“Neither do I,” I replied, chuckling. “I’m rather tired of it.”

“Dying isn’t a joke.”

“No, it’s not, Rae. I’m not making light of it. I’m not making light of anything. I know the pain I’ve caused and I’ve seen their relief. I’ve felt that pain and relief. I don’t want to cause that kind of pain again.”

“Do you think the dead know that their love ones suffer or miss them ?”

I turned to face her and held one of her hands and replied, “They do. Let me tell you something. In our pack, we mourn their loss and celebrate their lives. We choose to remember them as they were and not how they died. That little girl, Madi? She inadvertently killed her parents in a forest fire. She became overwhelmed by that loss. So, I showed her that even though they may be gone and that it’s okay to miss them, they left so many good memories behind that it can ease the loss.”

“How do you remember your brother,” she asked softly.

Sighing, I said, “It was hard for me to move past losing him. That I’d killed him, even if I wasn’t really at fault. When I eventually moved past my grief, I started to remember our times together. We were only two years apart and we were close. We leaned on each other, we fought, we played, we teased. We worked side by side. He got mad at me because I had sex before he did. I got mad at him because something he made, made more money than mine. We were competitive. But the one thing that I hold on to, the one thing that I cherish the most is his love for me and my love for him. We may have been brother and sister, but we were each other’s best friends. He’s the one that got me to take Lexa out on our first date. The one who got me to accept Lexa’s proposal. Convince me that our relationship would strengthen the pack and not hinder it. That’s what I remember about him. His death was tragic and shouldn’t have happened, but it did and I learned to let go of the pain and guilt.”

“Clarke and I dated this guy, Finn,” she said quietly. “He was the typical boy next door. My mother, when she was alive, was an alcoholic. My dad died when I was really little and I think it broke her heart and she couldn’t move past it, so she drank to make the pain go away. Anyway, he always made sure that I had food to eat, clothes to wear. He took care of me and when my mother died, his parents took me in. It felt natural to fall in love with him and our relationship changed. He was no longer the boy next door, but he became my love. My world. Then he met Clarke one day and my world shattered. I hated them because of it. I couldn’t stand to be around them or look at them. I resented them and tried to poison their relationship. Finn still cared for me, but he didn’t love me the way I wanted him to. He was my first love, Nyx.”

She paused, but I didn’t say anything. She didn’t need me to say anything. I felt that this was probably the first time she’d opened up about this and I wanted to give her the attention that she deserved. So I waited for her to continue.

With a voice that trembled, she continued, “Then one day, he wanted to do something special for Clarke. He wanted to surprise her with a grand gesture declaring his love for her. He had climbed into one of the electrical panels and was messing with the wires. He electrocuted himself and took down an entire section of the bunker. They evacuated the area and sealed it to keep out radiation. When they found him, he had a music player with him. He had it on repeat and it was playing their song. Clarke and I were devastated when they brought out his body. His entire body was covered in electrical burns and he didn’t look like our Finn anymore. His death ended up bringing us together, closer. Because of him, we became best of friends. We leaned on each other for support and eventually the pain and guilt that I had lessened and I thought I could move on. But I couldn’t, we couldn’t. Neither one of us allowed ourselves a chance to fall in love again. Until now.”

I pulled her close to me and sat her on my lap. She clung to me as she sobbed. I just held her and comforted her as best as I could. When the sobbing had eased to sniffles, she spoke again.

“Then we came out of the bunker,” she said. “Clarke met you and fell in love and I envied that. I realized that I missed that feeling, but I was so afraid to open my heart. To allow myself to be hurt again. That’s why I ran away from Tommy until you trapped us in that closet. The first time we met, every time we’d inadvertently touch, I got these tingly feelings that shot up my arm. Then he started complimenting me, calling me beautiful. He was so different from the guys in the bunker. So respectful and mindful. He wasn’t heavy handed, but gentle with me. He loved that I was a mechanic and didn’t look down at me for it. He understood why I felt more comfortable with machines. It confused me and I felt flustered whenever we would see one another. I ran away whenever he walked towards me. I knew I liked him, but I was so afraid of getting my heart broken again.”

When she stopped speaking, I said, “We are taught from a very young age that we needed to respect and be mindful of others. We knew that when we became sexually active that we would seek each other out when we needed it. Because of that stupid need, we needed to learn that so that we wouldn’t take advantage of one another. Keep from abusing someone in that manner. Tommy was raised to be more than that. He was taught that each woman was a gift. Not a need. He was raised old school Southern style. You respect your elders, your leaders, the people you encounter. He was taught to be kind to everyone. Everyone was either a sir or a ma’am until permission was given to use their given names. Manners. Everything that makes a gentleman a gentleman. His compliments are his way of flirting and he means what he says in them. You are beautiful, bright, smart, caring, loyal, a good person, Rae. He saw that the moment he saw you. He’s fallen in love with you.”

“He loves me,” she asked incredulously.

I nodded and gave her a crooked smile, “He may not have physically told me, but yes he does. It’s in the way he talks about you. I told him that with you, he’d have to go slow and make a lot of the first moves. That you were wary of the attention and that he needed to be mindful of you. I knew that you’d been hurt sometime in the past and it made you reluctant. That’s why he’s been so gentle with you and hasn’t pushed.”

“Why are you telling me all this?”

“Because you need to hear it,” I said. “And thank you for sharing with me. I know that it wasn’t easy.”

“It’s weird,” she said as she moved off of my lap and sat next to me.

“What is,” I asked curiously.

“It’s so easy to talk to you. It’s like I instinctively know that when I tell you something that you’ll give it the attention it deserves and won’t say something that you think I want to hear. That you’ll always speak the truth and tell me what I need to hear. Why is that?”

I sat and thought about it and then said, carefully, “I think it’s a family trait. Serving as Second, Allistars have to be approachable. People come to the Second to voice concerns or problems. They have to believe that when they come to us, they’ll be heard and listened to. That we won’t arbitrarily discount what they say. And when we speak, we speak truthfully. We won’t tell them what they want to hear, but what they need to even if it isn’t the answer that they’re looking for. Does that help?”

“I think so,” she replied, thinking. “It makes sense and gives me a better understanding of what kind of person you are. You really are a good person, Nyx.”

I chuckled ruefully, “Which is the reason why I’m in here working on my bike. My bondmates were telling me the same thing and I got a bit flustered.”

“Why’s that?”

“I hate being called out on it. It makes me uncomfortable because it’s just who I am. I don’t see a reason to point out something that I don’t see as being special. That’s just me, though.”

She laughed, “It is something special, Nyx. There are a lot of people in the world who are not like you, so when we see someone that goes above and beyond what others do, we like to point it out. It makes us want to do the same thing. You should be proud that you have such an impact on people. It means that they see you for you and not your position.”

I gave her a crooked smile, “Thank you for that. I feel better now.”

“Cool,” she said and then looked back at the bike, “So, since Clarke likes to ride on your bike, what are you thinking of doing to strengthen the suspension.”

“Have her lose weight,” I joked and she pushed me to the side, laughing.

“If you tell her that, those become fighting words,” she said still laughing.

With that, we started to discuss what could be done to the bike and the rest of the world and worries fell away for the rest of the day.


End file.
